Unintended Madness
by lostloveloki
Summary: As the looms of fate spin, Tony and Loki's fates become intertwined by their creation of a common enemy. An enemy set out for more than just petty revenge. An enemy who has a personal vendetta against the one that lay with her and used her. /Thank you to my lovely Beta Arianissa/
1. Chapter 1: Intro

Loki locked eyes with the female sentinel.

He was growing bored of being caged within the Avengers' facilities once again. Once again he'd been assigned a glass cage, similar to the one in the helicarrier, but this time it was enhanced with the sole purpose of caging a god. It seemed the Avengers particularly enjoyed glass cages, maybe they just enjoyed staring at him during his incarceration, but with the abundance of cameras in every corner of the cell this hardly seemed to be a necessity. Loki mused whether it was simply to stroke the pirate's ego, that Loki was kept like an animal in the zoo, for everyone to gawk at when they pass by, or come in to take over the post of tired sentinels.

Loki sat around inside his jail patiently, biding his time, waiting for the ideal moment to escape. He was certain it would not merely be an attempted escape. He would be successful. The only problem was that the moment continually refused to materialize due to several little pests. The first was a little nuisance that Stark had built into the cage which made Loki incapable of teleporting out. Tony had managed to block Loki's magic inside the cage, rendering him vulnerable and apparently, for this is what SHIELD thought, helpless. Tony's ingenious creation required one quintessential ingredient, one which he couldn't simply create mechanically, biologically or buy off the blackmarket: Loki's blood. However this little impediment was swiftly overcome as Thor helped him to take a blood sample off his thrashing adoptive brother. Loki cringed at this memory, remembering the brute force with which Thor had held him down, pressing his entire body against the cold, hard floor of the prison cell as Stark pierced his skin and stole a sample of Loki's royal blood. Terror had crippled Loki during those moments, his heart had beaten furiously within his chest, trying to run away, as everything reminded him of the horrific scenario with the dwarves. Those cruel, greedy beings… Those that had Thor hold him down, as his mouth was sewn shut.

Loki trembled.

Now this had become another moment on his slowly increasing list of things he never wished to live through again, if not merely due to the pain, and helplessness, than for the sheer humiliation that it had been to him.

No.

Never again.

Loki shook his head, shaking the thought away.

The second pest which complicated his escape was nothing magical or scientific, merely the nuisance called Thor the Thunderer, more often referred to as the Oaf (at least by Loki). Thor had taken to becoming Loki's personal guard dog. He sat outside the cage every day and every night, watching him, trying to talk to him, trying to approach him. A fruitless endeavour, as Loki simply refused to even look at him. Loki felt there was no good reason why he should grant Thor the pleasure of breaking through his wall of silence and contempt. _Thor doesn't deserve my affection,_ Loki thought bitterly, not forgiving Thor's apparent transgressions against Loki.

But things finally improved as Thor was called out on a mission.

Loki wore a sly smile on his thin, pale lips as he gazed at his new sentinel. _This will be easy,_ he thought to himself. _Merely human guards are no difficulty._Especially_ female humans, _he thought cockily._ I may lack magic, but I don't lack charm. I never have. _The guard was a female of the human species, of medium height and of average stature. To him she was nothing special, but yet another faceless creature of no interest. But he knew Midgardians would argue that she was beautiful, and she would be very aware of this, simply making it easier for him to ensnare her.

The female guard was stupefied as she caught his eyes boring through her, and felt his strange, other-worldly gaze grabbing hold of her entire being. Her grip on her gun tightened reflexively. He smiled crookedly, allowing his emerald eyes to work their curious attraction. Within seconds she felt incapable of thinking, or even breathing as her body began trembling, as she felt like her bones had turned into jelly. The overwhelming reaction surprised her. She was a trained SHIELD operative, and had undergone enough terrors during the training process, and suddenly she felt like a giggly schoolgirl. Grappled with her thoughts.

_Midgardian women are weak,_ Loki thought,_ much weaker than Asgardian women. These creatures are always seeking a partner. The Valkyrie would kill them for this mentality. _

_But to me, they are wonderfully easy targets, _he thought smugly.

He spoke in his most velvety, seductive voice, letting the smoothness of his manner, and the low tone encapsulate her imagination: "What turn of fate brings such a delectable sentry to my door? None of my other sentries has caught my attention as _you_ have done." He paused briefly, looking at the floor for a moment, and then back at her. "The attention… of a _god_."

She looked flustered; her practiced air of professionalism disintegrated as she could not and would not stop looking at his beautiful, scorching eyes. She was not the first to fall so easily, the startling emerald colour had bewitched many before her.

Noticing the weight of the gun in her arms she blinked several times before retorting: "We are instructed not to speak with high-profile prisoners." But her desperate little eyes were saying otherwise: begging for his attention. _Pathetic._

"High-profile? What an honour," he spoke, cloaking his sarcasm with an innocuous smile, "but truly, you cannot believe me to be dangerous to a creature as lovely as you? No _partner_ of mine must ever fear me."

She was mesmerized by his deep, throaty voice, stepping closer to his glass cage unconsciously. Abruptly she registered the implication of what he had said. "Partner?" Was that an offer? The speed at which her body, and her mind, seemed to change paths was dizzying. Was he really offering that they go away together? The mere vision of being the partner of a god was… enticing, to say the least.

Her mind was so frail that Loki read all of her hormonally charged thoughts with ease:_ what did SHIELD ever do for me? Nothing. Seriously, I don't need this job. I could totally just leave with…with…that fucking sexy god._

A satisfied grin spread across his face, seeing that he'd already won the very brief and easy battle. She was his toy to play with. _Far too easy. _He pursed his lips and looked her once over. Invitingly, he curled his index finger, beckoning her closer. Her eyes widened but she obeyed him unquestioningly, stepping so close to the glass that her breath coloured it.

He whispered sweet promises: "You could be my queen, do you know that? I could share the nine realms with you. I could show you all there is to learn. I could give you everything, _everything _you have ever desired, in the material world and in the physical world of pleasures… I only ask for one thing in return." He waited for a moment, letting his words unfold their full effect, "All you have to do is let me out."

His voice made her quiver with sudden lust. A heat swept through her entire body, and she thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of fear and anticipation that coursed through her. It was written all over her face. _Yes_, he thought, _when the tempter calls upon greed and basest sentiment of creatures, they will fall apart in his hands. Simply appeal to their deep and dark desires._ The hairs on her neck stood on ends, but she looked at his lips, opening her mouth. Nothing. She simply looked at him hungrily. Hungry for power, hungry for freedom, hungry for Loki.

He smiled darkly. _My toy._

"Just press the combination on my left. Just a simple number code: 0-5-6-3-5-9-4. Then, and only then, can we leave this place together." he instructed with a feigned warmth. Of course he knew the code: despite being imprisoned and without magic, the slightest twist of muscle on bones easily gives away codes during the typing process. _The advantages of a glass cage_, he thought smugly. It didn't matter that he had been over 10 metres away from the door of the glass container; he had the eyes of a predator and would have still been capable of the feat if he'd been 50m away from it.

Watching him again, she reached to her right, and typed the code.

The door slid open.

The rest of the SHIELD operatives did not have enough time to react as the alarm went off, the sirens blaring from the walls of the facility.

Despite blocking his magic in the cage, they carelessly hadn't blocked or sampled the power of his sceptre, which lay on a bench near his exit. As the others came running, he grabbed the sceptre and sent a flash of green in all directions. All but his sentinel fell dead to the ground, like sacks of old potatoes. Immediately she snapped out of her trance-like state and defensively raised her artillery at him.

He raised his brow defiantly. With a tap of his sceptre, a viper slithered out of the sceptre's end. Panicking, the woman dropped her artillery, an act which simply drew a mirthless laugh from Loki.

"Midgardian women are so easy to fool," he lectured as he began stepping towards her, "So incredibly gullible," he reached for her face, taking it roughly in his hand. "But creature you should know I didn't lie," he amended, stroking her face with the back of his hand and began walking around her. "I could have opened up the world for you and made you my queen if you'd been pleasing enough. Maybe not the queen of the realms as I may have implied, but you could have at least been my queen for a night," his hand trailed down her spine, "A night you wouldn't ever forget," he breathed into her ear in a low voice, as he cupped her bottom. She jumped, but he paid no attention to that as he remembered the nights that formed Fenrir, Jormungard and Hel with the giantess Angroboda. Letting go, he stepped away from her, and looked at her with amusement. "It's too late now. You shouldn't have turned against me."

His eyes flashed cold as he smiled mockingly. With another tap of his sceptre the snake attacked her.

With the screams of pain and the sounds of the viper's bites echoing through the dead hall, he raised his sceptre and spoke an ancient spell which teleported him out. Finally bringing him out of SHIELD's clutches.


	2. Chapter 2: Apocalypse Please

Loki teleported to Broadway Avenue. It was the first place in Midgard that had popped into his mind which fulfilled all the prerequisites he desired. _Midgardians do not even pause to look at me,_ he observed happily. _To them I am just another actor getting into character._ He stood in the middle of the pedestrian walkway, contemplating: _Where should I go now? I cannot attack the Avengers without a plan. I will have to come up with a decoy and find a way to stop them from blocking my magic again._ In the middle of his musings, a sheet of paper flew into his face.

"Which loggerheaded harpy dares to-, "he began. But then a word caught his eye: "Wicked."

Slowly a grin spread from ear to ear. _Perhaps that "show" as they call it may be a fine distraction. We'll see whether it is actually wicked… otherwise I may just have to meddle with the script._ An idea began forming in his mind. _Something wicked this way comes. One way or another_.

_This "show" as they call it is unworthy of its name_, Loki thought as he sat in the crowd completely bored. _It is neither an entertaining performance, nor is it wicked in any way. Really, these mortals simply do not know what true entertainment is_, he scrutinised. He mentally began listing everything he didn't like: _The stage work is weak, the characters are whiny and the magic is completely unrealistic. _

_I remember the days when we would visit Midgard to watch some entertaining tales by a mortal. I cannot remember his name anymore. It had something to do with a spear…_

Loki sighed. _It does not matter anymore. _He tried to shut the memories away. He didn't want to remember the times where he had thought he was happy, when he had felt like he fit in at least a little, when he had still had a family. He blinked away a tear which was desperately trying to defy him and began looking around the theatre, searching for ideas.

He glimpsed the metal dragon and began smiling gleefully.

Keeping his eyes on the dragon he whispered a spell and sent it to the metal dragon.

The transformation began instantaneously. The dragon became larger and longer, as its metal twisted and stretched to fit a new shape. Within its metal hull, a dazzling silver dragon grew to its full size, twice the size of the original metal hull. The metal exterior moulded itself into armour, comfortably hugging the shape of the creature, and emphasising the creature's physique. The audience noticed the change as the painful shriek of changing metal came down from above. The creatures initial movements were stiff and slow, but the audience reacted immediately. A person in the front row let out a blood curdling scream at the sight of the dragon, standing up to run out. But the dragon turned to that mortal and set it ablaze, setting an example in the process. Thousands of screams and shouts ensued drowned out the roar of the magnificent beast.

Then as some tried to flee Loki's massacre, he promptly created massive blocks of ice, blocking all exits, so that all were trapped with him and the beast.

_Now _this_ is wicked._

The dragon flew around the room joyfully. It breathed fire along its path, staining the polished walls and the cushioned seats. Its poisonous eyes set their sights on the curtains and sent out a great blaze of fire to the foot of the curtains. The golden flames ate their way hungrily up the curtains until they reached the bar holding the curtain up. As the flames devoured the curtain, the metal bar clattered to the ground, spraying sparks around the room.

Loki laughed maniacally and clapped: "Now _this _is a show!"

Amidst the cacophony of shrieks and wailing, an old couple stopped to comment on the events.

"What is _wrong_ with that man? Is he insane?"

"Perhaps... After all have you seen what he is wearing? It's utterly disgraceful. A grown man wearing a child's costume!"

"And the hair, my dear. It's like he has never bathed!"

Not even bothering to turn to the couple, Loki snapped his fingers and their mouths disappeared. Their screams were stuck in their throats, and the yells of the midgardians around them amplified.

He laughed. _Their screams are like music to my ears._

Drawn by his laughter, his beast flew down to him and bowed its head, recognising its creator. Loki rose slowly and began petting it. Under any other circumstances an observer may have said he was stroking a pet with affection. Loki leant closer to the creature and whispered a short spell into its ear. Drawing back, he smirked contentedly and the beast took flight again.

There was an unexpected brief silence before the screams recommenced again. Loki turned to see what had muted the crowd for several seconds, and saw one of the ice blocks glowing red in its centre, the ice melting.

An irritated look crossed Loki's face, "Damn those Avengers, how did they find me so quickly?" He rapidly spoke a spell cloaking him in invisibility.

The ice shattered as Iron Man broke through it.

"Did someone order something hot?" he asked cockily.

"Get out of the way," an old woman shouted, hitting him with her walking stick, "It's hot enough in here."

"Calm down gran! Jeez!" he replied as she pushed him aside and scuttled out. The rest of the crowd followed suit in a mad scramble out the exit.

Before Tony could react, the other ice block shattered, as Thor beat his way through it with a single swing of his hammer.

"You know I'd opened the other entrance," Tony pointed out.

"But another room may have been behind the icy block," Thor answered.

"Come on Thor, what is the likelihood that the two Ice blocks that _randomly_ appeared in a musical Theatre from within, lead to two different halls?" Thor didn't answer, "Yup didn't think so."

"Perhaps the odds differ in your world to mine," Thor retorted like a child, "But no matter the chance, these blocks have the signature of Loki."

"We knew it was Loki anyway," Tony spoke, while scanning the room. "Holy shit!" Tony called as he finally saw the dragon.

"A dragon," Thor remarked uninterestedly, "How very Loki."

Composing himself Tony then replied, "Leave this to me. Maybe I should make it into a nice leather purse for Pepper. Have you seen the size of that thing? Forget purse, It'll make a great leather couch!"

All the weapons in Tony's suit came out, revealing themselves. He aimed at the creature and fired, just to have the weapons hit the beast's armour and fall to the ground harmlessly. Irritated by the metal hitting its armour, the Dragon flew facing Tony and spat at him. Tony held up his arms to his face defensively, expecting flames to scorch his suit, just to realise that there was no fire, but that a liquid had sprayed him instead. The strange liquid began corroding through the armour's paint, destroying its perfect polish. "Acid." he breathed.

"JARVIS scan this thing and tell me whether it has any weak points. I want to kill it quickly 'cause I don't want to have to be cut free from the suit."

A British voice sounded within Tony's suit, "I'm sorry sir. There seem to be no weak points in its armour. You cannot break through the armour without losing immense amounts of energy. The only option seems to be the orifices."

"Are you telling me I have to go up its-?" Tony asked.

"Ass, sir? As your dating history indicates that your preferences lie otherwise, I am in the process of calculating other penetrative areas." Jarvis replied.

"This shall be no hindrance." Thor remarked and began swinging his hammer. Noticing the motion, the dragon began its flight towards Thor. As it opened its fierce mouth to spit acid again, Thor let go of Mjölnir, sending it flying straight through the dragon, and then breaking out from inside. As the dragon fell and broke the seats in the theatre, Thor prepared to catch Mjölnir.

"I wouldn't-, "Tony began. But Thor had already caught it, just to drop it straight away.

"Ah!" Thor cried out, as the acid began burning his skin, "Man of iron, help me!" He held up his hands at face height.

Tony rolled his eyes inside the suit, and replied as something opened up on the arm of his suit, "You asked for it." A strong jet of water hit Thor in the face, the force making him fly back, so that he landed on his ass.

"What…" the disoriented Norse god began.

"Remember last week when Hawkeye caught fire?" Tony asked, "That's when I installed this. Quite useful actually, and the water tank isn't that heavy either. All I had to do was work it into the design of the suit so that the weight is distributed evenly. Plus it's an excellent cooling system."

Thor looked at Tony as if he'd just spoken gibberish. Tony's faceplate opened up.

"Thank you Man of Iron. I know not what this substance would have done to me." Thor replied as Tony helped him up.

"Probably not much. The acid, if it actually _is_ acid, would have eaten away at your skin, maybe corroded your flesh and bone away, and slowly killed you. Not much otherwise," Tony replied nonchalantly.

"Well thank you," Thor said with a confused expression.

An awkward pause ensued as the men just stood there looking at each other. Quickly Tony turned away, seemingly taking in the property damage and said, "Well, Loki's certainly a crazy bastard."

Immediately Thor took a step towards Tony, "I warn you, Man of Iron, this is my brother-"

"Come on Thor! You can't be serious! After everything that psycho has done! Even _you _admitted that he's adopted!" Tony responded incredulously. A guilty expression appeared on Thor's face.

There was a piercing pain in Loki's chest as he heard Stark. He clenched his teeth, as Thor looked away from Tony shamefully.

"That matters not… I still love my brother and must find him," he looked at Tony again. He paused, "How _did_ you locate Loki? Is he still here?"

"I'm pretty sure he's not still lurking around here. He always seems to be running…But locating him was really easy. Do you remember when you held down Loki and I took a blood sample?"

Thor nodded.

"I've been experimenting with it. With the help of Bruce, I realised that magic seems to work like electromagnets."

"Magnets?"

"Electromagnets," Tony corrected, "Like magnets, they fundamentally speaking have domains. When the domains in ferromagnetic materials or in solenoids all point in the same direction it then becomes magnetic. When Loki uses his magic, it's like a current. His active magic wraps itself around him, and his blood, inducing the so-called "magic-domains" to activate. So, his blood reacts whenever he actively uses magic."

Stark's suit's arm opened up, and a little vial came out filled with Loki's blood. It was pulsing in his magical green glow. The vial was attached to a little platform on Stark's suit.

Surprised, Stark said, "He's still here."

Tony and Thor both turned, looking around the room frantically.

"Loki? LOKI? BROTHER WHERE ARE YOU?"

Loki flinched at Thor's shout. _Always charging like bilge snipe. _

Then an idea occurred to him. Still invisible, Loki duplicated himself several times, surrounding the two Avengers so that the strange device could not direct them to the real Loki.

"Are you looking for me?" One of the Loki's behind Thor asked, becoming visible.

"Brother-"Thor began turning around, as another Loki became visible and hit his head with the sceptre. Thor crumbled to the floor, losing consciousness.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Tony called, aiming his pulsors at Loki. He had already retracted the strange pulsing vial.

"Have you ever known me to play fair?" The Loki that had struck Thor asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Fine. I'll-"Tony began as another Loki, one who had stood behind him, magically bound Tony. Tony stood, stiff as a log, unable to move. Only his face was not under Loki's spell.

The true Loki, the one standing in front of Tony, whispered something, making all others visible. Whispering something else, the others disappeared again.

"What the hell are you up to Loki? We destroyed your little pet, so you want to kill us? What do you want?"

Loki, who had been slowly walking towards Tony, was only inches away now. With a cruel, mocking smile, he answered: "You."

With the light push of his index finger, Loki sent Tony falling flat onto his back.

"Ow!"

Swiftly Loki sat on Tony's armoured chest, and bent down.

"Give us a kiss," he whispered in a deep, throaty voice, and took what he asked for. Tony tried to keep his lips tightly together, but as Loki bit him, Tony gasped. In that moment, Loki slid his tongue into Tony's mouth, and worked his excruciating magic.

_Silver tongue indeed,_ Tony thought briefly. Within moments Loki had Tony gasping for air, and not just because he was sitting on the latter's chest. Tony moaned as Loki pulled away.

"You've built yourself all these defences, but you remain as helpless as a child," Loki remarked, smiling wickedly, somehow making Tony want more. He pat the man's cheek patronisingly.

_No!_ Tony tried to tell himself. _You are straight. You have Pepper. Don't let his dark charm and those gorgeous eyes, lips, cheekbones, tongue… Wait, stop._

"What the hell was that?"

Loki smiled, and got up, "Just a little fun."

Noticing Thor reawaken, Loki gave Tony a wistful glance and teleported out.


	3. Chapter 3: Burning Bandits

Loki teleported into his apartment.

Though it seems unlikely for a god to live in a roomy penthouse apartment in New York after having nearly destroyed that very city, this is exactly what Loki did. The apartment was simple yet elegant. It consisted of three rooms: a master bedroom, an empty guest room, and a living room. The furnishings were minimalistic. There were no pictures, no art, nothing implying anything about the person dwelling within. The walls were white, and the furniture was mostly black. If it weren't for the mingling of green and gold tones in linens, the decoration would have been positively gothic.

Loki sighed, as he let himself sink into his large, comfortable leather sofa.

_This realm could be a much better place if all people were simply to obey me- Stark included. It's not difficult. Do as I say and you would find peace and satisfaction._ The word 'satisfaction' lingered in his mind for a while._ Midgardians are much easier to satisfy than I am… _He shook his head.

_That will have to wait. _

_I must wait patiently until my full powers to return to me. Otherwise Stark will track me down too early. That wouldn't be a problem if it were just him…_ Loki sighed. _There is no point in fantasising, I need rest._

Loki stood up slowly and went into the master bedroom. He walked towards the closet and began undressing himself. He couldn't use his usual magical approach, as that would lead Stark straight to his doorstep. No, he stripped manually, an act which he found strangely sensual. He allowed his fingers to linger over his skin as he undressed. He shrugged out of his leather trench coat, and unbuckled himself out of the rest of his attire. Having thrown his clothes into a laundry basket, a basket which he had never used before, he changed into silken boxers.

_These "boxers" as the Midgardians call them, are _incredibly _comfortable. It is quite… freeing to be out of leather._ _Although leather is wonderfully tight for fighting, for everyday wear, and other activities… _Loki lost track of his thoughts and lay down on his bed. His hand slipped under his boxers, trailing along his length absentmindedly.

He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would energize him, but he hoped to no avail. The lack of activity during his entrapment made him restless. After minutes of agitated contemplation, he finally got up.

He began pacing, his hands behind his back._ I'll have to pass time the mortal way. But what _is_ the mortal way?_ After further meditation he walked over to the television and turned it on. Faces and images flashed on the screen with a cacophony of sounds accompanying them. Loki pressed mute. He began switching through different channels and made observations on Midgardian behaviour. _They always seem to be in groups._ But this was nothing singular about Midgard. _Even in Asgard Thor and I had always travelled with the warriors three and Lady Sif, h_e remembered nostalgically. He missed the times when he had a slight sense of belonging. _It is too late. There is no turning back._

He sighed with resignation and tried distracting himself.

_I could do a little bit of learning. _But he practically knew most of his magic books by heart. _Perhaps … I will study these humans. I will act like one of them for a while and learn their customs and ideas. That way I can infiltrate them from within. Once I have their trust and faith they will willingly follow me and I will have allies in this fight for this world. Naturally this will take some time and patience, but I have lived for eons, human time is of little essence._

As the plan started taking shape in his mind he continued flicking through the channels again. _Interesting … humans seen to find each other in similar locations._ _These programmes seem to advocate places where beverages are consumed_, he mused, switching off the TV.

Pleased with himself, Loki walked back to his closet and began hunting through the selection of Midgardian garments. Quickly he chose a simple white shirt and black trousers. He briefly tapped his sceptre, turning it into a little dagger, with a glowing blue end. _Just in case,_ he thought with a grin. After changing his garments he stepped out of his apartment searching for the closest place selling beverages, and caught sight of a green symbol with the image of a female creature with a crown, in front of which humans were lounging in chairs and sipping coffee.

Loki bought a drink and was about to take a seat, as two people burst into the peaceful shop, arguing loudly.

"Leave me alone! I've had it with men like you. Self-obsessed, arrogant and narcissistic!" the woman cried out. Loki knew she was blatantly lying.

The man grabbed her arm and truthfully said, "You are not losing me that easily." Loki watched the game with amusement, while sipping his coffee, wondering how common such "love disputes" may be and why the female decided to lie publically.

"Let go of me." she snapped, apparently trying to free her arm. The bulky man would not let go. The other guests in the coffee shop stared incredulously and those working there were too afraid of the muscular man to act. The woman turned around.

Her eyes locked on Loki. Her eyes were as black as a raven. _The eyes of a predator_. They were hard but had an incredible pull. She had flowing, unnaturally red hair reaching down to her waist.

Loki hadn't planned on intervening, but her strange gaze caught his interest_. _She radiated…something. Perhaps it was warmth, but it had the weak signature of an aura. _Perhaps she has undiscovered magical abilities,_ he pondered_. She may be an interesting diversion. For now._

His eyes left the woman and turned to the man. Loki placed his coffee mug on a table near the man.

"Let go of her." he said in a hushed tone. The man loosened his grip on her and turned to look at Loki. She freed her arm and pulled away from the men.

"Why should I listen to a toothpick like you?" the man bellowed, taking in Loki's slender shape.

Irritation flashed in Loki's eyes. Loki stepped closer to him and hissed, "As I will otherwise unseam you with this dagger, from your insolent lips down to… Well let's just say you don't _want _to know..."

Loki discreetly slid the dagger down his sleeve so that only the large man could see it. Seeing the cold, emotionless, hard look in Loki's eyes, the man got scared.

"Lunatic!" he called as he ran for his life, knocking into the table and spilling the contents of the mug on the way out. Loki laughed mirthlessly and turned to the woman, while unperceptively tucking away the knife.

As the other guests in Starbucks realised that nothing else was going to happen, they had begun chatting amongst themselves again and one of the workers cleaned up the spill.

He walked over to her and asked, "How is your arm?" as she rubbed it trying to improve her circulation. He didn't care for an answer, but moments of boring chitchat had to be sacrificed if he wanted to find out if she would be of use to him.

Her face, flushed with the irritation, reddened even more at the question.

"I'm fine." she snapped, as if she hadn't needed any help. But then a speculative look crossed her eyes. "I'm sorry that Ike spilled your drink, I'll buy you a new one as a thank you." Before Loki could respond to her offer she had ordered for both of them. She passed him a new drink.

_This creature seems to be interesting,_ he mused, _shifting from fury to kindness in a flash, whilst also lying notoriously. Why does she feel the need to draw so much attention to herself?_

"What's your name?" she asked.

Absentmindedly he answered, "Loki," forgetting his plan to remain incognito. He cursed his own idiocy inwardly.

She looked at him with interest, sipping her drink.

"My name is Dakshayani. But my friends call me Yani." He raised his eyebrows questioningly: another lie.

"Oh right, I'm not from around here, so I'm not your usual Pam or Mary Sue." _At least that is true_, he thought. She led him to an empty table and sat down, gesturing for him to do the same. Reluctantly he sat across from her. "You see, I was named after a Hindu goddess, the goddess Durga. In Hindu mythology she is the mother goddess of who created the universe and the power behind creation, preservation and destruction of the world." His eyes widened with surprise. _What a strange story to select to justify her lie._ She laughed a confident laugh, "Yes my parents were…special. They were obsessed with studying different cultures and their respective mythologies. Maybe they thought I'll preserve the world or …maybe destroy it." She laughed again. _No lie this time. What a bizarre concoction of the truth and lies._

_Goddess of destruction_, the idea moved within him like a virus. _If these humans worship gods who are not only from Asgard, I may be able to find another powerful being, like this revered so-called goddess of destruction, and together we could control the nine realms and overthrow Odin. Maybe this pretty little liar can lead me to them._ Suddenly she snipped her fingers directly in front of his face pulling him out of his thoughts. He stared at her in irritation.

Others would have been taken aback by his glare but she just pursed her lips and with a calculating expression. "What?" Loki sneered.

Her eyes turned cold.

"Do not speak to me like that." she said imperviously. She spoke like she was chastising a child.

_I am a god. No one speaks to_ me_ like that. Especially not an insignificant mortal._ But it took him a great effort not to vocalize this, as she has the potential to become useful.

As if a switch had been turned, her face softened, "How strange you are." _She obviously has never looked into a mirror._

"Well Loki," she said glancing over him, "maybe we should get to know each other _better_..."

His eyes wandered to her mouth. She had full sensual lips. She slowly licked the cream from those lips.

_What is this act? Is she trying to seduce me?_

He paused for a moment.

_Fine. Let's play. _

He smiled slyly, and began speaking in a hushed tone, "Well Dakshayani-"

"Yani. I'd say you and I have reached more personal terms."

He pursed his lips, _what a keen creature_. "Seeing as I am new here, would you care to show me around in this town?" he asked innocuously. _Perhaps I can get behind this female's façade without my magic._

She looked out at the night sky, briefly contemplating something and then smiled a knowing smile.

"Sure _Loki_," she said tasting his name like it gave her a certain satisfaction. As soon as they finished their drinks, they left.

They didn't speak, they just walked. After some time they reached a desolate area. She swiftly turned left into a dark alleyway.

By the time Loki had turned the corner she was glowing with red magic and levitating, with her power building at her hands.

She was a sorceress.

"Loki Laufeyson, how carelessly you revealed your true name! I could sense your magic even before I stepped into the store. Why did you search for me?"

I_ didn't seek her presence. Who _is_ this woman?_

"I will not answer your questions, mortal," he sneered.

She shot him a furious look. "Fine," she snapped, "If you won't tell me willingly, I'll simply have to make you!" She put her hands together and catapulted red, burning, magic at him. He simply jumped out of the way. He hadn't planned on using his powers, but she left him no choice. His usual leather outfit materialised, and his dagger turned back into a sceptre as she continually tried to bombard him with magic. He lithely jumped onto the roof of the nearby building, evading all of her frail attempts.

As she kept trying, Loki channelled the incoming magic, and deflected it back at her. When the full force of her attacks hit her, she lost balance and fell hard on her knees.

"_This _is the way it should be mortal," he said disdainfully, "_All_ Midgardians should fall before me." He leapt down, standing in front of her and bound her with a simple spell. She glared at him with hatred.

"Let me go you beast!" she screeched with loathing. She breathed heavily as anger contorted her face.

"_I_ am no beast. _I_ am a king. _You _are the feral creature," he jeered.

Unexpectedly she calmed.

Her eyes widened as she looked up into the sky, and grinned cheerfully. _She cannot be sane, _Loki thought, but then he saw what she was staring at_._ Loki turned to see a speck of red coming towards them: Iron Man.

_Of course_, Loki thought scornfully, _his computer located me the moment I used my magic to bind this creature_. He shot an ice spell at him, but Stark dodged it with ease, and landed 20 metres from them. Loki cursed under his breath.

"Well Loki, I should've guessed that you're into S and M." Tony leered grinning from ear to ear under the faceplate. "The leather outfits kind of gave you away."

"You would know. It's nice to see that you seem to have finally caught your breath again. You were moaning the last time I saw you."

"Was not!" Tony exclaimed and Loki shot him an amused look.

"There is no point in lying."

An irritated sound came from Iron Man. "Either way you are coming with me."

"Why, do you want a proper show this time, instead of the opening act?" Loki asked lasciviously.

"No thanks, Loki. Pure business. You fled our facility and I'm gonna bring you back to Thor." Loki hissed. "If you come peacefully I might not tell everyone about the little bondage session here… Or maybe I will anyway."

"Then I'll tell Thor about what happened while he was unconscious, since I'm sure you haven't."

"How did you-" Tony began as a red light shot out from behind Loki, and struck him square in the chest.

Stark staggered back. More red lights bombarded him, pushing him around like a ball in a pinball machine. Loki turned to discover that the woman had released herself. Her face had a sadistic glory as she stared with pure, undisguised, hatred at Stark.

"What was that for?" Stark complained as she stopped, getting back on his feet.

"What a daft question!" she responded, not deeming him worthy of an answer.

"Hey," Stark said, stepping forward, "I'm not your personal piñata. So what the hell was that for and who are you?"

"You seem to easily forget your past, _Stark_. Remember those little weapons you produced?" she said mockingly, "It is because of your weapons, because of _Stark Industries," _she spat the words, "that my family is dead!" She directed another fire ball at him, "You're machines killed them. _I_ will make you suffer for that. Those men were fuelled by you! You will pay! Merchant of Death!" she scoffed, "You'll _wish _you were dead!"

She breathed deeply, with passion, and her face was ferocious. The energy and her anger somehow affected Loki. _I want to use that anger. I want to free her energy. I want to have her._

"I know that they've been used wrongly in the past, but it wasn't my fault." Stark said raising his arms defensively. "It was Obadiah…" he started as she threw dozens of fireballs at him.

Tony dodged them and changed to offense.

Stark was about to attack her, and so Loki sent a green blaze at him, deflecting his flight so that he hit the concrete head-on, creating a hole in the wall.

"What are you _doing?" _she screeched.

"The enemy of my captor is my friend." Loki answered as if it was blatantly obvious.

Iron Man flew back out, his armour damaged on his left side. Loki reached toward the sorceress, took her hand, and tapped his sceptre. They were gone.


	4. Chapter 4: City of Delusion

"Where _are _we?" the sorceress asked disoriented.

"In my abode." Loki answered bleakly. He didn't want anyone there, but he had felt like he had no choice.

"_Why _did you take me away?! I could have defeated him!" she screamed turning to claw at him.

Loki deftly caught hold of her arms and said, "Because the other avengers would have arrived in minutes. So, although you may possess the power to defeat one, _you_ could not win if you faced all. I've been there." he added bitterly.

This didn't appease her, she continued trying to claw her way free. _That rage. That fire._ Without thinking, he moved her arms to her sides and kissed her.

Taken aback, her efforts subsided. He aggressively parted her mouth with his tongue.

_At least_ that_ shut her up. _

Her wide eyes stared at him disbelievingly. But as she closed her eyes, she began kissing him back. Her arms moved up his side and pulled his head down closer. Quickly she became enraptured in their embrace, giving in to her human cravings.

Though Loki hadn't planned on this, it was simply not an opportunity to be missed. _Especially as she was throwing herself at me,_ he thought, completely ignoring the fact that he'd been the one to start the kiss. _It may also become a good starting point for my new plan._

He then stopped thinking, and gave in to his body. They probed, they tested, and they bit each other, consumed by passion and fire. Her hands ran through his hair, pulling him closer and closer, and their breaths mixing in a frenzy of kisses. Her nails scratched his neck as they began shifting towards his bed.

His hands grazed her neck and pulled her hair so that her throat was exposed. He kissed her neck, at first tenderly, then biting her as he began to feel urgency in their fleeting situation. She moaned with pleasure as he touched her and pulled her waist towards his.

She gasped at the touch of their loins through their clothes. _If _that _has her gasping…_ he thought, letting his mind wander.

Her lips moved to his right ear. "Hope you're just getting started." she breathed. He grinned. Her breathe on his neck sent a shiver down his spine. He pulled her mouth back unto his.

But she swiftly released her mouth from his, reaching out, trying to pull him out of his clothes. _She's tasted blood, and wants more …_. Due to the difficulty of getting him out of his leather clothes, she quickly became irritated. She magically conjured a sharp knife to her hands and cut her way through his garments with a practiced ease. She threw the knife on the floor next to the bed.

Her eyes widened, as she looked lasciviously at his body. Her eyes took in Loki's pure ivory skin, his toned, strong muscles, and his erect phallus with astonishment. Loki smirked at her expression_._

He kissed her, lips moving down her neck again. He sharply ripped her dress off her body with his teeth, and she hurriedly took off the rest of her garments.

He pushed her onto the bed, and bent over her like an animal waiting to ravish her. She pulled his face to her chest and ran her hands along his side. His lips and teeth began probing her again. She arched her back and moaned an unearthly moan as his mouth enveloped her breast. Taken in with pleasure she clung onto his back, scratching it. She turned her satisfied gaze to his face, and began wrapping herself around him.

She grabbed his phallus, and then…

A very memorable night began.

She lay in the messy bed looking dishevelled but content. He watched her, whilst stroking her_. _

He whispered alluringly in her ear: "What do you think of me now?"

She looked at his face and rose slightly. She began trailing her fingers down his neck.

"You're a very, very _bad_ god." she teased. Loki pursed his lips in amusement.

"You're not that innocent either." he countered smugly.

She feigned innocence saying, "I don't know what you mean," letting her lips glide to his neck again lecherously.

He slowly pushed her back smirking, _looks like she hasn't had enough yet._

"But how about we turn to business now."

She drew back, clearly not expecting _that_ of all things. She deliberated, pulling the sheets towards herself and spoke: "What business?"

Her newly-found wariness amused him. "I gathered from your little speech tonight that you wanted to punish Stark."

Her eyes flared with rage at the name. Loki smiled to himself. _Yes, she will gladly help me. _

"What are _you _going to do about Stark?" she hissed, "From what I understood you two have a dirty little secret."

"No, _we _have a dirty little secret … But I was planning on getting some revenge myself. My little confinement in the SHIELD facility was not the most fun trip, and I think they deserve a little gift in return …"

"What kind of gift?" she asked, eyeing him carefully.

"Maybe a plague of snakes, destroying their facility, some killing… I haven't decided yet. I merely thought you may be interested in joining me for the fun."

An evil gleam returned to her eyes. "Then, I think we may be able to make an arrangement. But I haven't decided yet. You're not exactly trustworthy." Yet she smiled lasciviously trailing her fingers down his bare chest and reaching under the sheets. _It's interesting that she finds me trustworthy enough not kill her in bed but not for an excursion to …Wait. I still don't know her name. _

He took hold of her hand and stopped it in its path. She looked at him questioningly.

"What's your name?" he asked earnestly.

"What is it to you? You had no problem having sex with me without knowing it, why do you need it now?" She said, suddenly sounding bitter. _Her mood swings are incredible. She must be insane._

"Would you rather be an object or my ally? Give me your name," Loki said possessively.

"I'm _not _your object. I'm _not _your possession. And you have _no right _to demand anything from me, Laufeyson," she hissed.

_Enough with the games_. He grabbed her neck and pulled her up by it. She began clawing at his hands, only to have him tighten his grip. "_I _can demand anything, and I mean _anything,_ from you or whomever I please. Never ever speak to me like that again. I am a god, and I can crush you just as easily as an insect. You are unimportant and should feel honoured that I am taking some time for you. You humans will always kneel, no matter whether or not you decorate yourself falsely with the names of true or false gods."

He released her, and she fell onto the bed, gasping at the rush of oxygen to her lungs. She lay panting, shocked.

"Tell me your name."

"I've told you its Dakshayana!" she gasped.

"You lie."

She was taken aback by the frankness of his statement and his piercing eyes.

"I'm not …" she started, still panting.

"I know you are. They do not merely call me Liesmith because of my uncanny ability to tell lies, but because I know it the instant someone lies."

She hadn't expected that. When she could breathe normally again she responded.

"I … No. My true name has no value anymore. Nor do I." she said sadly, and began crying.

_What can make a mortal so possessive over her name? I would hypnotize her, but I can't because of Stark! How infuriating! What can I do now? Violence will not make her speak. _

He looked at her coldly and let her weep for a while. But soon her weeping purely irritated him. He would have killed her, if it weren't for a possible future alliance. So he did the only thing that he could think of that would shut her up. He tilted her face up, and kissed her. Her sobbing didn't stop, as she audibly forced air into her lungs during their kiss. She didn't want to speak anymore, think anymore, or be herself anymore. She pulled herself up to him, and began straddling him. Her lips became aggressive.

And so they started again.

When Loki awoke the following morning, he was alone in his bed. When he opened his eyes he saw _her._ She was wearing his white shirt and had her back turned to him, facing the closed bedroom door. This wouldn't have bothered him in the least if it weren't for what she was holding: his sceptre.

Seeing her knife lie on the floor within his grasp, he picked it up and threw it. She gasped as the knife grazed her face and struck the door.

"Do not thieve from me." Loki said in greeting, sitting up.

She turned to him incredulously, "I wasn't stealing, just looking! Jeez! You nearly killed me!"

"If it were my intention to kill you, I would have," he replied coldly, "but I still require your help. My offer stands."

"It's not much of an offer when the options are to either help you or to get killed by you." she said, putting his sceptre back on the floor while moseying back to the bed.

"Those are my terms, and I do not bargain. Do you understand?" he asked taciturnly. Her face fell as she grasped his cold tone. It had been stupid of her to think otherwise.

"Fine." she consented.

They set to work.

The following week Loki broke into the Avengers mansion.

Loki had to teach "Yani" a teleportation charm, and an invisibility spell, so that he could break in, simply because she was still an unskilled amateur. She knew little magic so far, but she had potential. Great potential. However, she was self-destructive and very temperamental. Not only once did he have to resort to violence to stop her idiotic ravings. He felt with certainty that her temperament would be her downfall one day.

In that one week they had observed the mansion, and discovered that Stark kept a workshop on an underground level, and that the other mortals required his AI's permission to enter the hall. Loki came alone, he knew "Yani" would become a burden otherwise, or at least he convinced himself that this was his reason for coming alone…

Loki entered Stark's workshop, cloaked in invisibility. Black Sabbath was blaring from the speakers while Tony worked away in the far corner. Silently, Loki sauntered through the hall, observing the assortment of machinery. A near monumental hall of Iron Man suits stood along one wall, like an evolutionary painting, the developments in technology and design being clear. The changes lay in the intricate details. Loki knew not how the machinery worked, or the science behind them, but he was certainly impressed. Loki lightly touched one of the suits and felt the cold, hard metal. But yet it was perfectly smooth and beautiful.

With a slight sense of awe he looked around and watched Stark.

Stark's latest suit was on the work table. He was working on the arm, and saw that it was completely taken apart. Originally Loki had intended to steal the entire suit, but _this_ just made it incredibly easy. All he had to do was take the little vial and its platform.

"JARVIS," Tony called to the room, "Based on my latest changes, tell me by how much the new design will improve energy efficiency?"

"Twenty percent, sir," the bodiless voice called. Loki was all too familiar with that voice. The same voice had been present in Stark's suit.

Loki walked towards Tony's work table and watched him. Tony was flicking through some holographic files and then picked up a piece from his dismembered suit. Grabbing a wrench Tony began working on it. Loki watched his face with interest. Tony's face contorted with the strenuous task. His neck muscles became taut, and he began huffing.

Loki leant closer; he could feel Tony's breath. _What an intelligent mortal he is. Working with certainty, with purpose, with an inner strength. He isn't a brute like Thor. _He exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Tony stopped. "JARVIS, turn off the music." The music muted.

Loki leant back and became still, as Tony stood up and looked around. Loki held his breath.

"False alarm. Turn it back up, JARVIS," and the music began blaring again. Tony sat down again, and tenderly picked up a piece of armour.

That did it.

Loki took the piece and roughly threw it onto the table.

"What-" Tony began, his large brown eyes perplexed as his suit decided to throw itself away. Loki whispered a visibility spell and appeared before Tony. The vial pulsed briefly. As Tony began to rise, he pushed Tony back into the desk chair, and began straddling him.

"Loki, get off-" he began, but Loki silenced him, placing his index finger on Tony's lips.

"Don't." Loki warned.

"Hey! This is my-"

"Be silent." Loki answered and smothered Tony's mouth with his own. Loki's demanding lips drew a moan from Tony, as they drew him out. Loki's sporadic bites only heightened Tony's reaction: his chest heaved and his lips trembled with desire.

Loki smirked and let his lips trail down Tony's neck lasciviously. His mouth rested on Tony's Adam's apple, feeling it move as Tony desperately gasped for air. A wicked grin appeared on Loki's lips, and he began biting Tony's neck. A deep, guttural moan escaped Tony's lips and he hardened under Loki's weight. A laugh escaped Loki's lips at the hardness. Tony's eyes widened at his body's reaction. _What … _he began thinking, but Tony couldn't think straight anymore. Everything he ever knew just flew straight out the window. He couldn't form a cohesive thought as his body was overpowered with lust.

Instinctively Tony pulled Loki back into a kiss, his hands trailing along the supple leather, trying to pull it off Loki. An impish grin stretched on Loki's lips as he drew back slightly and shrugged out of his leather trench coat. He then reached for the hem of Tony's T-shirt, and pulled it off over his head.

For a moment Loki paused and looked at Tony's arc reactor in amazement. He'd seen the bright light in battle before, but hadn't known it was an integral part of Tony. He saw the poisoned veins on Tony's chest, and touched them lightly.

A shriek sounded from behind Loki.

"Yani" stood 10 metres away from them. She screeched as she prepared to strike them. With a flick of his hand, Loki created a protective barrier around them, deflecting the attack. In an instant Loki jumped off Tony, got rid of the barrier, and sent a sharp icicle straight through her chest. The sound of breaking bones was drowned out by Black Sabbath.

She fell face-down onto the floor, her hands twitching slightly. Her blood pooled, gushing out of her chest, as her movements weakened.

Tony was speechless, he hadn't expected _any _of this tonight.

Loki fleetingly turned to Tony, a regretful look in his eyes again. He grabbed the vial with its platform, and reached for the dead woman's arm.

"I will be back." he said licking his lips, and disappeared with both.

Tony stood up shakily and called JARVIS.

"Jarvis, save the security footage since the arrival of Mr Laufeyson onto my private database. Delete all traces from the Avengers mainframe and make sure they can't access it."

Tony slowly walked over to the corner of the room. He poured himself a drink and gulped it down in one shot. He refilled his glass.


	5. Chapter 5: Hysteria

Loki appeared in his living room. The dead body hit the ground with a thud. He dropped her arm and heard it smack down onto the floorboards like a sack of rotten potatoes. Immediately he turned his attention to a far more pressing matter. To the only thing that could track him down, the innocuous little threat, the betrayal of his own body: the vial of blood. Loki looked at it briefly with admiration. It was an elegant little device that Stark had come up with, an ingenious creation. He paused for a moment but then he crushed its metal platform mercilessly. He held onto the vial for a moment before letting flames envelope it as he held on to it. The red glow of the flames, and the green glow of the vial gave it an unearthly appearance, before the smoke rose from the melting glass and the smell of burning blood filled the air. After a few moments every trace of its existence was gone. Nothing was left that would hinder Loki from using his magic, his skills, his true powers.

_Finally true freedom, _he thought, as he felt the imaginary chains fall off of him. He smiled with sweet satisfaction.

His attention flickered over to the corpse again and he beheld. He scrunched his nose in distaste and pressed his lips together. _She should have followed the plan. T_hen_ she would still be alive. Her own folly was her doom after all._

Noticing the blood pool on the floor he whispered a little spell to stop the bleeding. He didn't want his living room to become swamped in congealed blood by the time of his return. _How much easier it would have been if I could have controlled you so easily in life…_he thought with a sigh, but then stopped short.

_Control._

Loki jumped, as he ran to his bedroom. He eagerly whispered a spell, through which an entire library appeared through his closet. He ran through the library and grabbed an encyclopaedia of magic, filled with supplementary spells, hastily flipping through the pages.

_M… still M… N…There! Necromancy!_

He read the pages with delight, and grinned broadly. A crazy light returned to his eyes: a new plan. Ecstatically, he walked out of the library, magically sealed it and put down the book on the sofa. He looked at the body with a terrifying smile.

"I have some unfinished business to attend to, but I'll be back _very_ soon." he promised, acting like she could hear him.

Tony was frantic. His thoughts were driving him wild: _Why on earth did I hide the file? It's not some super weird perversion I have or anything. And…what if the Avengers find out?_ He felt paralysed as fear coursed through his body._ They can't find out! Oh my god, Thor's going to KILL me! It was hard enough to hide the theatre incident. "No Thor, nothing happened. He hit you and then he disappeared …"-Fuck, Fuck, FUCK! This is not going to end well! And it's not like I have a thing for Loki or anything. Argh! Come on body! Quit acting like a PMSing girl! Think straight. I am NOT gay. I just need to remember the dozens of girls I've been with and… PEPPER! Yes! Pepper! I have a girlfriend! What the hell was Loki thinking? - I'm being an idiot. Loki doesn't care that I have a freaking girlfriend. God of Mischief and all. _He began rubbing his temples, walking towards his Mark VII bracelets._ Hell, I should have deleted that file! _Tony put on the bracelets. _But next time I won't be helpless._

After further internal debate, another thought crept into his mind. _Maybe I should watch that clip. I mean it might tell me something in hindsight. _With a flick of his hands, Tony began working away on a holographic projection. He played the clip, but kept having to rewind as he caught sight of Loki's licentious expression and got distracted.

"Haven't you had enough yet?" a voice called from behind Tony.

Tony jumped, and turned around. He opened his mouth, only to have Loki forcefully place his hand on it, while drawing Tony closer with the other.

"You talk too much. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Tony bit him.

"Feisty. I like that." Loki snickered. Looking Tony in the eyes, he slowly removed his hand from Tony's mouth.

"I really don't care if I talk too much. You have issues with personal space and that's a lot worse."

"It's always a question of perspective." Loki retorted and flicked his hand.

Tony tried retorting back but nothing came out of his mouth. His voice was gone. He clutched his throat. He was helpless. He couldn't call for MARK VII.

"That's much better." Loki said with a grin, as Tony tried to draw back. Loki roughly drew him closer. He grabbed Tony's arm and flipped him in the air, so that he fell on his back. The impact with the floor made Tony's head spin and his body ache. In that same moment, Loki picked him up and seated him on the chair they had used before. Loki conjured four belts and bound Tony's arms and legs onto the desk chair. Tony's head was lulling onto his chest sluggishly, still not having recovered from his little tango with the floor. Slothfully he drew his head back and beheld Loki, who was now sitting on the desk in front of him.

Suddenly, Tony's voice emerged from Loki's mouth. "JARVIS please do not take any orders from anyone in the next two hours, that's me included, and do not let anyone enter the workshop during that time period." Loki grinned at Tony, and added as an afterthought, "Also, please dim the lights to 40% of usual brightness."

"Are you sure, sir? Lip movement is not in sync with your command."

Tony frantically began mouthing something at the ceiling, but with another flick of Loki's hand, Tony also lost control of his lips. Tony's mouth moved to Loki's words: "Yes, I am absolutely certain. Thank you."

Instantly the lights were dimmed, and Loki heard the doors lock. Tony's voice whispered a spell and suddenly everything was back to normal. Well … as normal as it could be when a Norse god tried to dominate a genius. Tony exhaled deeply while Loki smirked, "Looks like we are all alone now."

"I don't know what you are up to," Tony breathed heavily, "but I _will _stop you."

A haughty laugh escaped Loki's lips, as his eyes bore through Stark.

"And how exactly do you endeavour to do that?" he mocked, "When you are strapped to a chair…" he reached forward, pulling off the Mark VII bracelets, snapping them, "and helpless."

_He knows,_ Tony panicked. Loki's amused gaze rested on Tony's face, "I never make the same mistake twice." he reached forward and began stroking Tony's face. Tony flinched.

"Are we a little stubborn today?" Loki asked, "Well … then I'll just have to force you just a little … until you are willing." Loki pushed Tony so that his back was flat against the chair, and began straddling him again. He drew closer to Tony and looked down at his face. Tilting his head a little, Loki placed his hands on either side of Tony's face and tried to pull him into a kiss, but felt Tony trying to draw back with all his Midgardian strength. "Why must you be so difficult?"

"Because I'm not into you! I'm not gay!" Tony exclaimed.

Loki cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh, really," Loki jeered, "You're limb certainly seemed to have a different opinion a short while ago."

"Well … that …" Tony began.

"Come on," Loki's responded, his breath on Tony's face, "I expected more of a man who claims to have privatised world peace."

Tony opened his mouth: speechless. Seeing a chance, Loki leant in and kissed Tony hungrily, like a starving animal. His tongue probed Tony, demanded from Tony, beckoning Tony, until he broke through all of his defences, and Tony couldn't refuse anymore. Tony moaned at Loki's uncanny ability to disarm him. One of Loki's hands slowly traced down Tony's bare back, as Tony had forgotten to put his shirt on after their last encounter. His hand slowly traced down Tony's spine, alluringly rubbing along its path, while Loki deepened his kiss. With his other hand, Loki drew himself even closer to Tony, rubbing lightly against Tony. That did it. Tony hardened, and another laugh escaped Loki's magical lips.

"Looks like you are attracted to men after all."

"Er … actually ... I'm more of a rack man …" he breathed, unable to catch his breath.

"Is that so?" Loki asked, with a new gleam in his eyes. He slowly got off Tony, rubbing hard against Tony's crotch in the process and faced him, "That can be arranged." Loki whispered an incantation, and transformed.

Tony's jaw dropped.

Loki had disappeared. At least the old, male Loki had. Instead a beautiful, black haired, goddess-among-women stood in front of him. She was Loki alright. She had the same tantalizing green eyes, the same wicked grin and high cheekbones. But now her lips were fuller, she had a beautifully curvy body, and amazing magnetism. Her outfit was similar to before. She wore a floor-length leather dress, with a long slit up her leg, and a low neckline. The metal accessories were all the same, but now the buckles drew in her small waist. Loki had always been lean and beautiful, but he was even more gorgeous as a woman. Tony took in all the details, from her waist long, silky hair until her 5 inch heels.

"A speechless Tony Stark? That's like finding a unicorn." Loki joked in a slightly higher, but still relatively low, voice. She stepped forward, and leant down, one hand resting on his crotch and the other on his arm. Tony moaned, both at the pressure on his pants and also as he could see down her dress. "Oh how easy it is to shock you," Loki chuckled whilst rubbing Tony's pants lightly and feeling the bulge grow under her touch. "How easy it is to make you want." Loki sat down on Tony, facing away from him. She put both her hands on his arms, holding onto him, and slowly moved her hips, pressing down on him. A guttural sound escaped his lips, and she laughed.

She got up, and turned to him again, "So easy." she whispered into his ear, and snapped her fingers. When she drew back, she roared with laughter. She had made all his remaining clothes apart from his boxers disappear, but it was exactly this underwear which made her laugh. Tony's underwear had a picture of an arc reactor right on his hard crotch. Tony's face reddened.

She chuckled, "Shall we make your limb glow then? I'll be sure to make it pulse." Loki purred, slowly pulling his boxers down his legs.

"Eh …" Tony began, but stopped as Loki pulled down the zip on the back of her dress, unbuckled and shrugged out of her dress.

"Are you willing?" she asked, moving her hips alluringly, keeping her eyes focused on him.

"Shit yes." Tony breathed. His mouth watered, seeing her matching lacy underwear. _Damn. Those legs! _Tony stopped short. _Legs. Eight legs! _He'd read up on all the Norse mythology when Thor had joined the team. _Loki has an eight-legged kid from when she got pregnant from that horse!_

Loki was about to step out of her underwear as well as Tony exclaimed, "Stop! I don't want to be a dad!"

Loki gave him a questioning look, "What is this about?" annoyed at the buzz-kill.

"I sure as hell don't want to have a kid with you. And I'm equally sure you're not going to back down."

Loki winked, "You are right on that point."

"Er … How about some protection?" Tony pleaded.

"Protection?" Loki asked perplexed.

"Yeah, condoms and things … You know if you'd unbind me …"

"No," Loki commanded. "I will get this … protection. Where can I find it?" Loki began looking around the room, not sure what she was looking for.

"In the drawer." Tony jerked his head to the table. Tony began going through dozens of escape possibilities in his mind, using this diversion so that he could keep a clear head- for a short while at least. But nothing worked. He couldn't call JARVIS or the others, Loki had made sure of that. He couldn't call the suit, his bracelets were broken. He couldn't even _reach _his other suits because he was bound. _Damn it._

Loki opened the drawer, and found dozens of different condoms in it.

"You are certainly … well prepared," Loki concluded. She began reading the instructions and looked at the different types that Tony had stashed away.

"Really?" Loki asked with a grin, "Ribbed, glow-in-the-dark, flavoured?"

"Well … you never know what you need," Tony answered with a shrug. He'd been trained to be terrified at the notion of knocking up a girl all his life.

"How about all three?" Loki concluded, ripping one off of each. She whispered something and the packets combined. "Now you have a sweet, ribbed, glow-in-the-dark condom," she said with a smirk.

"What now …" Loki thought aloud, before an idea hit her. She opened the package, and put the condom in her mouth. She looked at his face lewdly for a moment before going back to his crotch. She bent over his waist and let the condom glide onto his erect phallus. She pushed it on with her lips, placing it perfectly with her tongue. Tony gripped the chair, and a whimper escaped him.

"Fucking god!" he exclaimed.

She drew away, pulling herself up on him and whispered into his ear, "Patience. You haven't fucked one yet." She snapped her fingers so that her remaining clothes disappeared, leaving her only in her high heels.

"Now you will."

An hour later Loki rested her head on Tony's shoulder and Tony sat gasping. _THAT was the best sex I've ever had,_ he thought.

"You certainly pulsed," Loki whispered, a breathy laugh escaping her lips. "We should do that more often."

"Wait. WHAT?" Tony exclaimed, suddenly quite aware of the fact that he'd slept with- well not really slept- but had sex with one of his greatest enemies. Shifting, he exclaimed: "We are NOT doing that again! Get off me! You … you pretty much raped me."

Amused at Tony's sudden change of heart, Loki pulled herself off of him slowly, his flesh gliding out with ease. She sashayed away and grabbed her dress. With the flick of her wrist she was fully dressed again.

"Just so you know, _Stark_, it only constitutes to rape if one party is unwilling. And you admitted you were willing to do _anything_ by the time we actually started." she said lecherously and disappeared.

"Shit," Tony exclaimed, realising Loki was right.


	6. Chapter 6: Ashamed

Loki appeared in her bedroom with a triumphant smile on her lips. Exuding self-confident, she walked to her bathroom and looked into the mirror. Her lipstick was smudged, but nothing else was to be expected when a human craves your body and his only control lay in his lips. She looked at her reflection, relishing the beauty which had made Stark speechless. She remembered Stark's lustful gaze and giggled. _Shame I wasn't born a woman, otherwise I would have turned many heads in Asgard. _After another brief inspection in the mirror, Loki decided she was in far too good a mood, having been satisfied so adeptly considering he was bound during their entire … transaction.

With a smirk playing on her lips she walked back to the living room, hoping to pick up where she had stopped before her brief excursion to see Stark. Loki stopped in her tracks, and the gender-spell dissolved.

The corpse was gone. Furiously Loki began searching. Using a simple spell he checked the entire apartment for any signs of life. There were none. There was no one else there. _Dead bodies don't just get up and go!_ Rapidly he noticed that the body was not the only thing to disappear. The book. The magical encyclopaedia of spells was gone. He ran to the small ornamental bookshelf in the corner of the room to find that the healing stones were gone too, and they were replaced by a note.

She was alive.

Despite being petrified of the contents of the note, he opened it.

Laufeyson, I will get you back for this. You and that pampered murderer will die at my hands. Even if it is the last thing I will ever do in my life. I will kill you both.

-Dakshayani

Chills ran down his spine.

The lights turned on.

"Did you have a pleasant time, sir?" the voice of the AI called.

Tony's head snapped up. Finally! _JARVIS is running again and will take my commands again!_

"Did it look like I was having a pleasant time?" Tony asked with agitation.

"Actually sir-"

"Don't answer that!"

"Yes, sir," came the cold response.

"Seriously, what kind of artificial intelligence doesn't realise that the commands were from Loki and not me."

"I was aware of that, sir."

Tony blinked. "You _knew! _Why did you follow the orders anyway?" he exclaimed.

"Sir, I was under the impression that you were in favour of the course of action given the situation earlier-"

"Enough! Argh! Well if you're so smart why haven't you gotten Dummy to untie me yet?"

"I shall call for Dummy immediately. Also sir, Miss Potts has arrived."

"Don't let her come in!" he called, but it was too late. Tony heard the sound of the door opening and saw Pepper enter. She hadn't noticed him yet.

"Do you want me to use restrictive measure A649?" JARVIS asked.

"No!" Tony called- measure A649 included flame throwers which would burn Pepper to death.

Hearing Tony, Pepper suddenly noticed him. Her eyes popped wide open as she saw him strapped to a chair, his boxers on the floor, and saw that he was wearing nothing but a flimsy condom.

"Oh my god, Tony! What happened to you?" she gasped, and came rushing forward on her stilettos, knelt down next to him and began untying him.

The rush of blood to his arms and legs hurt, but she shook it off quickly. He pulled the condom off and began pulling his boxers up, as he made his way to a sealed box- one of Bruce's pieces. Having successfully pulled his boxers over his ass, he opened the box, and placed the condom in it, before sealing it again.

"What are you doing?" Pepper exclaimed, "And you still haven't answered me!"

"Erm, it's a long story," he replied, not making eye-contact with her.

"Then tell me the short version," she snapped, "Who did this to you?"

He paused. There was no point in coming up with a lie. Pepper was his girlfriend, and if there's anything she deserves for the years in which she's been cleaning up behind him, it was pure honesty.

"It was Loki."

"Loki?" she asked incredulously, "As in Thor's little brother, Loki? The one who tried to take over the world and destroyed half of New York City, Loki?"

"Do you know any other Loki's? Because I definitely don't. I think it's probably because I don't have any Norse friends. Maybe I should become friends with more international people, after all America's not always going to be-"

"Tony!" Pepper cut short his tirade, "Why did Loki strap you to a chair?"

"Because he wanted the locator I'd built." Tony confessed.

"You meant the glowing little vial you've been working with?" she said taken aback.

"Yes, that one." he stated.

"And that's why he strapped you to a chair and stripped you? Because he was looking for it in your _underwear_?" she asked sceptically.

"Well … that bit came after …"

"After what?" she asked, mystified by what he meant.

"After taking the locator." he replied.

She tilted her head in confusion. Pepper may not have divulged much out of Tony right now, but she was no fool.

"Then why did he tie you to a chair if he already got what he'd wanted? And for god's sake, why aren't you dressed?"

"Let's just say Loki's a bit kinky."

Pepper gasped.

"Loki _raped _you?" she cried incredulously, and rushed over to him, hugging him. She began fretting, as if checking whether he had bruises-and he certainly didn't have any that would be visible so quickly- well apart from a couple of "love bites."

Tony looked away and drew back from her.

"What …" she began.

"It's not technically rape." he started, and turned to go grab a drink. He grabbed a bottle of Brandy and drank straight from the bottle.

"What do you mean, Tony?" she asked with her big eyes boring into him.

"It … doesn't constitute to rape if you … are willing," he admitted, and took another glug from the bottle.

"Wait, what?" Pepper looked at him like he'd just arrived from a different planet, "Are you trying to tell me that you … why would you ... With _Loki?_ … What …" She took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. She opened them, and looked at him with hurt written all over her eyes. "Why Tony? What about _us_? I thought _we_ were together … and then … then … you cheat on me with a _guy? ... _and Loki of all people-_"_

Pepper stopped. Her impossibly wide eyes, widened even more. "Of course!" she exclaimed near triumphantly, "Oh my god, Tony! You're gay! It makes so much sense now! All these women you used to be with, the way you had to try really hard for _us _to work … All this time you were just hiding that you are-"

"NO!" Tony bellowed. "I'm _not_ gay!" he paused, "At least I don't think I am …"

"What do you mean?'" she asked, clearly puzzled, "But you just slept with L- a man."

"But technically not a man," Tony added.

That stopped her short. She blinked, as if trying to clear her sight of a very disturbing image.

"He can … he just …_ changed_?"

Tony nodded.

As if losing control, she gripped the desk chair tightly and sat down. She forced herself to take deep breaths, as panic swelled through her.

"You are telling me," she spoke measuredly, "that you cheated on me, with another woman, who was Loki?"

He gulped.

"How could you, Tony? After everything … I thought you'd changed!" Pepper stood up, "You're still the same bastard you've always been!" She burst into tears and began running for the door. "We're over!"

Tony grabbed his T-shirt which was still lying on the floor from earlier last night, pulled it on, and began following her up the stairs.

"Pepper, wait! I'm sorry!"

"What do you want, Tony?" she wailed as he caught hold of her arm, "Leave me alone!"

"Don't tell anyone it was Loki." he pleaded in a whisper.

She gasped, shocked by his request, and her face contorted in pain.

"_That's _what you're thinking about! _God!_ I was such an idiot." She pulled her arm out of his grip and ran out of the mansion. Tony just stared after her.

Hearing a racket, Bruce came down the stairs.

"Tony? Was that Pepper?" he asked with genuine concern, while readjusting his glasses. Bruce had obviously just woken up. His hair was slightly messy and he looked tired. After all, it was only 6am. None of the others would be up this early.

Tony cursed under his breath.

"What …" Bruce began as he properly saw Tony: dishevelled hair, nail marks, and walking around without trousers.

"Sorry," Bruce said, shifting uncomfortably and sticking his hands in his pockets, "I didn't mean to disturb you … if you were in the middle of something … But did Pepper just run out?" he asked, looking towards the door.

"Yeah." Tony mumbled, walking down the stairs again.

"What's wrong? Why did she run?" Bruce asked, following Tony.

"Erm … You know the extreme biochemical reactions that occur on a cyclical basis for women." Tony answered, while looking around the work shop for his trousers.

"Tony," Bruce spoke disapprovingly, "She's not on her period. She must have been downright upset to run out. What did you do now?"

Tony turned around defensively, "Why do you always assume _I_ did something?" he spoke walking backwards.

"Tony, tell me the truth." Bruce responded, the way his father always had. That look said it all: because you _are_ the one who always does something.

Tony tried to stare him down, but lost. He threw his hands up in defeat, "Fine! I slept with someone else! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Tony!" Bruce was shocked. Of all the people, Bruce couldn't believe it. Tony had always been incredibly devoted to Pepper. Bruce knew of his playboy past, but still.

"It's not my fault!" Tony exclaimed and then hit his leg on the table, "Shit, shit, SHIT!" He began hopping on one leg, and put his weight on the table as he rubbed his leg. _Another bruise to add to my collection from last night._

"How is it not your fault that you slept with another person? It's not like someone tied you up and forced you to it."

Tony bit his lip as he stared intently at his leg, _If only you knew…_

"But …" Tony wanted to argue, but there was nothing he could do without revealing that it was Loki, "Never mind. I've screwed up." he sighed. He reached for a wrench on the table, "I… Would it be okay if you leave? I … I need to be alone for a while. I've … got to think this through …"

Bruce took the hint. "Alright Tony, but don't do anything stupid." Bruce warned as he went back up.

"Too late." Tony mumbled.

As soon as the electric doors shut behind Bruce, Tony leapt off the desk. He pulled the bottom drawer open. He always kept a spare set of clothes down in his workshop. Usually it was because he'd accidentally rip what he was wearing when working with the machines, and didn't have time to run up to find new clothes before meeting Pepper. _But this works too._

Having pulled on a pair of jeans, he then picked up the used condom with tongues. He placed it on a strange looking, metal platform.

"JARVIS, extract Loki's fluids from the outside of this, and produce a locator, similar to the one Loki stole. You'll have to recalibrate though, because of the different viscosity. Thankfully he was using magic throughout-"

"Your copulation, sir?"

"JARVIS!" Tony called in horror.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"You know I should really downgrade your OS, you're becoming quite … forward. A little bit like me." Tony mused.

"Sir, you may do as you please, but I must remind you that downgrading me will also reduce my functionalities and other properties which are used to assist you."

"Whatever, JARVIS," Tony rolled his eyes, "Just do as I told you, then I might decide not to."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and when it's done, have it transported by Dummy to compartment S51D, with the other things I have to integrate into the suit's design."

"Yes, sir."

Tony sat down on the desk again, closed his eyes, and began pinching the bridge of his nose.

"She wants to kill us." Loki stated, appearing in front of Tony. Tony sighed; he didn't want to deal with the moody-demi-god right now.

"Jeez Loki, don't you know how to knock, or do you guys always come barging in in Asgard?"

"They tend not to knock." Loki conceded, impressed at Tony's astute remark.

"And really, why are you stating the obvious? Of course Pepper wants to kill us! We screwed." he said throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Pepper?" Loki asked, tilting his head to the side, but then he saw the picture of Pepper and Tony on the wall. "Ah, your pet." he laughed contemptuously, "No, I don't mean her. I'm referring to the female that attacked us, who goes by the name of Dakshayani, though it is not her true name."

"Wait, what?" Tony's head snapped up, and he stared at Loki, "But you killed her? Dead people don't go around wanting to kill people!"

Loki expected this, he smiled wryly, "As it stands, she is alive and has stolen one of my spells books."

"What, you expect me to believe she's alive? I saw her pretty much die in front of me."

"She left us a lovely death threat if that pleases you more." Loki handed him the note. Tony took the bloody note warily. _It's probably a trick, _he thought before reading the note.

"Big deal, I get death threats all the time." Tony replied handing Loki the note. Loki looked at him in confusion.

"But not usually from mentally unstable sorceresses, I presume." Tony gave Loki a pointed look.

"Really, you're not one to be talking." Loki shot him an irritated glare. "Anyway, why'd you tell me? We're enemies, and you've tried to kill me a couple times yourself. I've had a couple of shots at killing you, too. And I'm pretty sure this is not about getting some little spell book back, is it?"

Loki squared his jaw with annoyance. "Your attempts have always been on the weaker side, Stark, for you know quite well that Thor would never allow you to kill me. The Avengers may always try to hinder my plans, but you would never actually kill me."

_Damn it, Loki knows that he's Thor's only weakness._

Loki continued, "However, this female, whatever her true name may be, would not flinch to kill either of us. She has nothing holding her back, just like I had nothing holding me back when I, at least thought I had, killed her. Now that she possesses my ancient book, she will be able to further her powers and may become a real threat to you, and to me."

Tony wasn't sure what to say. "Let me get this straight. You're warning me, because I'm less likely to kill you, and because you need an ally?"

Anger flared in Loki.

"I don't _need_ anything, Stark. I don't need you."

Loki disappeared.

Tony rolled his eyes, he was getting used to Loki's antics.

"JARVIS?" Tony called, getting off the desk.

"Yes, sir?" replied the AI.

"Show me the files I'd told you to take off the main network. Also, delete all files with Loki from the last 24 hours from the main framework and transfer them to my private files."

Images suddenly projected above the desk, and Tony began flicking through them. Finding the video, he began playing it. He quickly got distracted again by Loki's sexual magnetism, his beautiful green eyes and his feline, delectable jaw. The video continued playing.

The woman appeared on the projection.

"Pause it, JARVIS. Scan her face and run it across all available databases. I want all the information you can get about her."

"Sir, does this include the government's files which you told me to download on a daily basis? As I must remind you again, using those files would be legal breeches."

"Yeah, yeah, JARVIS. Just be thorough, and destroy all traces leading back to me and Stark industries as usual."

"Yes, sir."

Quickly data about the woman began collecting. Tony watched with amazement as everything unfolded in front of him. After a couple of minutes data collection slowed.

"Search completed," came the AI's voice. Immediately, Tony began scanning through all the data.

"Looks like our little sorceress has been quite busy." Tony mused. "_Saffron Sparrow_? What a _terrible _name!"

The summary appeared:

_Has been part of protest groups rallying against Stark Industries; Parents died abroad - killed by a terrorist group,_ Tony flinched, _Attended therapy for 6 years, but broke it off a year ago; Jailed for drunk driving; Worked as a waitress; 4 job changes in a 3 month window; has been seen in public arguments._ A picture of Loki and _Saffron_ appeared.

"Huh."

He scrolled through the rest of the list. Her library book list included things on witchcraft, electronics, and terrorist attacks.

"She's either obsessed with her attackers or a budding terrorist herself. I think it's the latter. What do you think JARVIS?"

"I'm not sure. I'd require further data."

"Right… JARVIS, take the same basic tracking algorithm I used for Dr. Doom. Trace her movements and make a full report on patterns and locations where there is a high possibility of finding her. I want to know where this little electron is most likely to be even if I can't pinpoint her momentum."


	7. Chapter 7: Time is running out

Loki was perturbed. He was sitting on his couch, but wasn't feeling comfortable anymore. His own words kept ringing out in his mind: "I don't need anything." He had meant what he'd said, but the words felt false on his lips. Never before had such a strange phenomenon occurred to him. He wanted the words to be true, but they felt too much like a lie. He drew his legs onto the couch and sat contemplating for a moment.

This is ridiculous, an inner voice told him, you have much greater problems to worry about. Like that woman who is on the loose.

He sighed. That woman was a walking disaster for him. She shouldn't have survived, he thought, I don't understand how she survived! I hit her right in her despicable heart, but she still lives! A woman with no healing powers! He let out a frustrated sound.

Loki took a deep breath and cleared his mind.

There are more problems, he reminded himself. Firstly, she knows where I live, and therefore I am vulnerable if I keep this abode as my residence. Secondly, she has my spell book, thus having the tools required to quickly become powerful. Thirdly, her powers are fuelled by her hatred, making her an even stronger opponent. Lastly, she knows of my… strange liaison with Stark.

Loki began pinching his nose with his forefingers. I must find her, before she finds me, he concluded. Slowly he rose from the couch, closed his eyes and whispered a spell. When he opened his eyes, everything was gone. All the furniture, the limited decorative items, the carpets, everything was gone. He sat down, facing away from the window, and began a location spell.

A groggy Tony Stark awoke the following morning, sore all over his body. But his body was not the only thing in turmoil. His brain was going crazy. His mind kept returning to the predicament with Saffron, and consequently back to the cause of his physical pain: Loki. The main problem Tony faced when thinking about Loki, was that he was constantly aroused. So, as always in Tony's life, when he faced a difficult situation he wanted to forget, he grabbed a bottle. Hence, his pounding head.

"What time is it, JARVIS?" he groaned as the light shone in through his window. He pulled the covers over his head in defiance.

"It is 9:52 am, sir," the voice called.

"Why is it so bright so early?" Tony moaned into his pillow fully aware of the stupidity of that question.

"Well, sir, in the-"

"Shut up, JARVIS. That was rhetorical," Tony called, dragging his head out from under his covers.

"Yes, sir."

Tony lazed around on his bed for a couple of moments, tossing his head to and fro, but ultimately decided to face reality.

"Have there been any messages for me?"

"Yes, sir. Agent Maria Hill has left you a voice message."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Delete it."

"Before I delete it, I should inform you that Agent Hill has threatened that if you ever delete one of her messages again she will shoot at you 'where it hurts' when you are not wearing any protective gear."

For a moment Tony contemplated whether she would fulfil her threat.

"Fine. Play the message," Tony conceded.

"Mr. Stark," Agent Hill's voice resonated in his bedroom, "Director Fury calls you to an Avengers meeting at 10am sharp. You will be in the company of the other participants of the Avengers initiative," there was a pause, "Director Fury reminds you not to be late again."

"Shit!" Tony exclaimed, jumping out of bed. Hurriedly he tried to slip on his clothes. There's no way I'll make it on time to the Boardroom. I've only got 2 minutes! It's not like I can fly through the mansion-

Fly through the mansion.

"JARVIS, I'll be heading off for the meeting. Have another set of Mark VII bracelets made, while I borrow Mark VI for a couple hours."

"Man of Iron, why dost thou bring thy armour?" Thor asked as Tony landed in the Boardroom before taking a seat next to Thor.

"It was a lot more convenient," Tony mumbled as his faceplate opened, "And seriously Thor, seeing as you're the one always wearing a cape can you really afford to be judgemental?" Tony said raising an eyebrow. Thor looked confused for a moment and then laughed.

"How very amusing you are," Thor guffawed patting him hard on his back, "No wonder Lady Potts adores you. How is Lady Potts?" Thor asked. Tony didn't like the way the conversation was heading.

Tony turned away, "I don't know."

"Is something amiss with her health?" Thor asked, misunderstanding. Tony didn't react. Bruce came in, and Thor turned to him instead.

"Is something wrong with the Man of Iron and Lady Potts?" Thor asked Bruce in his thunderous voice.

"Erm," Bruce looked at Tony, "They broke up last night," he whispered. Tony stiffened.

"Is it true?" Thor asked, resting a hand on Tony's armoured shoulder. Tony jerked his shoulder, but nodded, still looking away.

Concern crossed Thor's face, as he contemplated for a moment, but then a wide grin spread across his features. He patted Tony on his armoured back, knocking the breath out of him, and spoke, "Fear not. Dame Potts always seeks thy company. And if the separation be of a permanent nature, there are always other damsels for a man of your intelligence and assets."

I'll take it your brother does not count as one of these damsels? Tony thought snidely.

"Thanks Thor…"

Widow and Hawkeye, who sat across Tony, just exchanged a look.

Fury barked as he came in, "I don't care, Captain. I'm not going to get you a different room just because you don't want to hear the two spies shacking up at night. If you want to swap rooms with someone negotiate it directly with them." Fury came wandering in, walking with purpose, with a blank-faced Agent Hill on his left, and a blushing Captain America trailing on his right. Fury sat down at the table.

"This meeting is called to order. That means everyone shut up."

The room became silent and the last ones standing took a seat.

Content with the reactions, Fury began, "It seems we have a new threat in town. A couple of days ago, when Stark engaged Loki-," Tony's head snapped up, "-in combat," Tony repressed a sigh," he encountered a new enemy. A crazy sorceress calling herself Dakshayani."

"Dakshayani?" Captain asked, "Is she a foreigner?"

"It's some artist name she's picked out. Like Lady Gaga or Prince," Agent Hill answered. Steve still looked confused.

Fury rolled his eye. "That's not her real name. She's American, like you Captain." On the projector screen behind Fury a picture of her appeared, her red hair blazing. "Her real name is Saffron Sparrow."

Clint became very interested, "Like the bird?" Under the table, Natasha dug her nails into his leg, "Ah! Not that I care or anything…"

"Isn't saffron a red spice?" Steve asked.

"It is indeed," Bruce answered, looking at the picture intently.

"She must have had really cruel parents," Agent Hill mumbled under her breath.

"Anyway," Fury emphasized the word, "It looks like she now wants to play in the big league. She might become a real problem if she joins forces with Loki or Doom or someone else even, as we don't know what her target is-"

"Me," Tony interrupted.

"Tony, not everything is about you," Steve spoke, giving him a sharp look.

"Thank you for that, Captain Obvious," Tony replied making Clint chortle, "But she still wants to kill me."

"And how would you have gleaned that piece of intelligence?" Natasha scoffed.

"Well…"

Fury stared at Tony, "Do you or do you not have undisclosed information? If not, quit wasting our time."

"Fine. Loki came to me yesterday-"

"Loki? Why would my brother come to you?" Thor quizzed.

"If you'd listen, I'd tell you," Tony snapped, "Do you remember the locator I built?" Thor nods, "he came to steal it… and succeeded."

Cacophony ensued as everyone began talking over each other.

"Shut up guys, I'm trying to tell you something."

"But where does Saffron come into this?" Natasha asked as the others quietened.

"So apparently, she helped Loki get in, and then," he began tweaking the story, "she didn't stick to the plan or something. She declared that Stark Industries killed her parents. She turned against Loki as well, and tried to kill us both. Loki fought back, injured her and then… took off."

Bruce, who'd been sitting there quietly, narrowed his eyes. Something is off.

A declaration burst from Thor's lips: "We must protect my brother!"

Everyone started talking over each other.

"We can't do that! He's tried to-"

"For god's sake, the guy's controlled me with-"

"He can't house a security threat-"

Tony remained silent, mortified by the idea of having Loki with them.

"Wait," Natasha spoke in a lecturing tone, "It might actually be advantageous if we did."

"How on earth would it help if we housed that…psycho, Tasha?" Hawkeye bellowed. She gave him a look that translated into Don't-mess-with-me-little-birdy.

She turned to the rest of the assembled group. "If we manage to keep the two targets together, that woman won't have any reason to attack a civilian population. That way we will just have to wait until she shows up at the mansion. And since Tony hasn't been doing any public work for Stark Industries no one will be suspicious if he's not showing up elsewhere."

The idea of being kept alone with Loki frightened Tony far more than anything else ever had. The suggestion of a house arrest of sorts didn't even bother him, as he imagined having Loki watch his every move.

"That's a great idea, Agent Romanoff. We'll have to re-capture Loki and imprison him in the mansion," Fury mused.

"That's not going to work out too well, Director," Bruce remarked, "You saw how easily he escaped last time. Trying to keep him here against his will would be pointless."

"He'll have to come willingly," Agent Hill concluded.

Steve and Clint began to object, but Fury cut them off.

"He's coming to stay here."

"My brother can stay with me," Thor suggested, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of having his brother back.

"Come on, Thor! He wouldn't stay with you even if you were a box of kittens," Clint exclaimed.

Thor's face fell, realising the truth in Clint's words.

"He's not going to room with anyone. We'll just have to give him his own room," Fury declared.

"But sir, there are no available rooms. They are all occupied," Natasha pointed out.

"Then we'll just have to move into Agent Barton's room," Natasha was about to object but stopped herself. "Good. And how does that suit you, Captain?" Fury asked laying his eye on Steve. Steve blushed deep red.

"I… guess that's… fine."

"Case closed then. Now, any suggestions on how to find him?"

"It is a shame that the Man of Iron's location magic was stolen," Thor declared, his eyes fixed on Tony.

"Actually," Tony began, "I've set JARVIS on having another one built-"

Bruce straightened up, eyes flashing to Tony's face.

"-It should be fully functional in a couple hours, seeing as I'll have to run some tests."

Bruce's mind went on overdrive. If Tony's new locator were to be functional he must have obtained some new fluids from Loki's body, seeing as the stolen vial was the last remains of Loki's blood sample.

"We'll use that then," Fury resolved, "We'll discuss this further when Stark's device is ready. Meeting's over." Fury rose and left, with Agent Hill at his heel. Gradually everyone began leaving.

Bruce came up behind Tony and took hold of his armoured arm, saying, "Tony, a word."

Bruce led them to the adjacent meeting room.

"What's with the secrecy?" Tony asked as he tagged along, trusting his friend. Bruce paused for a moment, and looked Tony in the eyes. He took a deep breath.

"You slept with Loki."

The blood drained from Tony's face and he gulped.

"What? ... Of course not!" He avoided making eye contact, "That's just absurd, Bruce! ... Of course I didn't, I'm not gay or … anything."

"Tony," Bruce said in a calm voice, "I co-created that locator with you. There is no point in lying. You needed some genetic material from Loki to build another one. And as far as you've told us, he stole the vial of blood. The only vial."

"So?" Tony scoffed trying to draw on his usual bravado, "That doesn't prove anything-"

"And how exactly would you obtain this new material? I'll bet you that he didn't voluntarily lay down and give you his blood. And I doubt he peed in a cup for you. So the only possible alternatives are juices … like sperm or something. And you were the one who told me yesterday that you'd cheated on Pepper."

Tony listened to Bruce's fool-proof deduction and faced defeat. That was one of the problems of having a brilliant scientist as one of your best friends: they were too observant.

Tony sighed. "I couldn't help it."

"Come on, Tony, you are the most stubborn person I know. Just … Why would you sleep with him?"

"He came onto me … I tried to resist- But that, oh that tongue of his …" desire rippled through him at the mere memory, "and then as a woman-"

"Wait, did you just say he turned into a woman?" Bruce asked incredulously. Tony nodded. "Tony, don't let him get to you," Bruce placed his hands on Tony's armoured shoulders," He's just using you, like a living … sex-toy or something. Don't forget he's bat-shit crazy." Tony shook off Bruce's hands.

"Of course I know that! It was just a one-time thing," he decided not to mention the promise of another visit that Loki had made. "But for god's sake, don't tell Thor!"

Thinking that Tony had finally understood how difficult the situation was, Bruce relaxed.

"Of course I won't. Although … It would be interesting to see what the god of thunder would get up to if he were really angry …" Bruce saw Tony's horror-struck expression, "I'm kidding," he chuckled.

Tony sighed with relief, "I think I'll head back then and check on the process JARVIS has made."

"JARVIS, are the Mark VII bracelets ready?" Tony asked as he strolled into the workshop.

"Yes sir, everything is fully functional now. Also, the locating device has been completed."

"Run some tests on it."

"Already done, sir. That too is fully functional. Would you like me to have a search conducted for Mr. Laufeyson based on the feedback values from the device?"

"Yes …" Crap, Tony thought, this is going faster than I expected.

BEEP.

"His coordinates have been found. He is situated in a penthouse suit. Should I send the coordinates to Mark VI?"

"No, send them to Mark VII," Tony replied as he began stepping out of Mark VI. He picks up the new Mark VII bracelets, "It's time for some heavier weaponry."


	8. Chapter 8: Unnatural Selection

Loki was still sitting on the laminated floor of his apartment repeatedly mumbling a spell, trying to locate Saffron. Out of nowhere, Tony smashed through the window behind Loki, the glass shattering and scattering in all directions. Before a millisecond passed, Loki summoned a short dagger, turned around in his seated position, and threw it right above Tony's crotch where it became stuck in the armour.

"Hey! What was that for? Last time I checked you were quite fond of my crotch!" Tony exclaimed as his faceplate opened up and he tried to pull the dagger out: without avail.

Loki turned back to face the wall, visibly pleased. He rose slowly. "You broke my window, I broke your toy," he said spinning around, his sharp, emerald eyes piercing through Tony. After a brief moment of contemplation, Loki asked, "How did you find me? I destroyed your … machine."

Despite Tony's anxiety about how close he had been to losing his genitalia, he grinned. "Oh, I have my means …" He gave a pointed glance at Loki's crotch, "Let's just say you left a sample on me …" Irritation flooded Loki at his own idiocy. Of course Stark would use the remains of their little session to track him down. That was so … Stark. But then a thought struck him and a sly grin appeared on his lips.

"Why did you search for me? Were you impatient for round two? So impatient that you had to seek me out?" Loki smirked. To Loki, that seemed to be the only plausible reason for Stark to come here alone. If he'd come to take him back and imprison him, he would have surely brought the entire team and an army of SHIELD agents. No, this has to be why he came alone.

"I know that because you're a god and all you think everything revolves around you, but you do realise you're not a sex god or anything. And I'm not that interested," Tony claimed, taunting Loki with a grin.

"Oh really?" Loki cocked his eyebrow, "That's not the way it felt yesterday when you tried to taste every single inch of me-"

"It was a weak moment, that's all," Tony interjected, the blood slowly flowing into his cheeks.

A gleam appeared in Loki's eyes and he pursed his lips with amusement.

"Oh really?" He walked up to Tony and pulled the shorter man's face up into a fiery, passionate kiss. Within a couple of moments Tony was breathless, his body heaving within the suit and drawing on Loki's lips like they were the elixir of life. Loki smirked and Tony followed Loki's lips with his eyes as Loki drew away.

"It seems you have those weak moments quite often …" Loki remarked with a little grin playing on his lips.

"Erm …" Tony's head was spinning from the lack of oxygen. Loki's lips were hypnotic. Loki laughed as the usually so witty man struggled with his words.

"If you didn't come for my incredible skills, why are you here?"

Why was he here? Tony couldn't remember anymore. His mind whirled. A mission? Yes, Fury. That's right, I have to get Loki, or Fury might eat me alive. Not cool.

"Come with me?" Tony asked, offering his hand to Loki.

"Why Stark, do you plan on eloping with me?" Loki snorted with laughter, swatting away Tony's hand. "You should know, I'm not the kind of man to marry after the first time."

"Loki, I wouldn't marry you for anything in this world," Tony retorted, as he came to his sense again.

"For something from another realm, then?" Loki joked, winking at the little man.

"Wow, Loki. You actually have a sense of humour."

"Oh yes," Loki said rolling his eyes, "It appears on occasion, just like comets in the skies of Midgard."

Tony chuckled, "You know if you weren't constantly trying to take over the world, we might have been friends."

"I don't need friends," Loki began, still in good humour, "A god only requires himself, an empire and a lover." Loki paused, looking over Tony, "You yourself have an empire. I crave one too."

Tony reflected on what Loki just said. That's quite a simple view on life. Man craves to leave an impression, which is why people crave power, prestige and rank. And then a person only needs to be self-confident and have a "lover," as Loki put it, for company. Not a bad motto …

Tony snapped out of it.

"Whatever, you're still coming with me," Tony placed his arm on Loki's shoulder.

"Where do you propose to take me?" Loki asked jerking away from Tony's touch.

"The Avengers Mansion." The words had an immediate effect on Loki. He stepped back, looking at Tony as if he'd just insulted him.

"No," Loki hissed, raising his hands as if prepared to fight, "I will not be your guinea pig again." He spat the words.

"I don't mean as a prisoner," Tony amended holding his hands up defensively. Boy, he over-reacts quickly.

"Then? What else would you want me for?" Loki didn't relax from his tensed position. Stark didn't want him to fill his nights and he didn't want him as a lab rat. What did he want him for?

"We want to offer you temporary protection."

"We? Whose we? Your cronies in the mansion? Why in the nine realms would you want to protect me for?" Loki asked incredulously, still tensed.

"Because we are the targets. And it's a hell lot easier to catch Saffron Sparrow if we're located together," Tony said gesturing to Loki and him.

Loki relaxed slightly as confused settled on his face, "Saffron Sparrow? Is that the name of that terrible woman?" Tony nodded, "What a horrendous name … No wonder she kept lying," he chuckled briefly before narrowing his eyes again, "And you, why should I trust you and your merry band of liars?"

"Then tell me this, god of lies, am I lying to you right now when I'm telling you that I don't want to harm you?" Tony retorted.

Loki scrutinised him for a moment, but he knew the truth. "Fine. You may not be, but for the rest …"

"I'll swear on my arc reactor, that they won't try anything until we've got her," he said, putting his hand on his arc reactor.

"Hm …" Loki considered. "If they do," he strode closer to Tony," I will rip that thing out of your chest and play tennis with it. Deal?" His eyes were hard and cold with determination as he offered his hand.

Tony gulped. "Deal."

They shook on it.

"Now … what gives you the impression that it's safer there?" Loki pondered.

"Don't worry about that, it's practically impenetrable."

Suddenly Loki let out a manic laugh, "Is that so? I've penetrated its defences before. But I guess that just makes it as impenetrable as you will be." Loki spoke, trailing his fingers down Tony's cheek. Tony's eyes widened. Damn, damn, damn, damn. He was actually getting hard again. How the hell does Loki keep doing this to me? Good thing I'm wearing the suit, otherwise he'd probably act on it again …

Loki laughed again. "Let us go then, Stark." He hesitated briefly, "How do you propose to go there?"

"Erm, I was going to fly us there," Tony answered, hoping Loki couldn't tell he was aroused.

"I have a better plan." Loki grabbed the dagger lodged in Tony's suit, pulled it out and pocketed it. He then roughly grabbed Tony by the waist and teleported to right in front of the Mansion.

As Loki let go, Tony stumbled backwards and fell on his metal ass.

Loki chuckled, "You are like a child learning to walk. What a sorry sight you'd make after a journey across the realms!"

"Cut the commentary," Tony mumbled as he got up and dusted himself off. This was not good.

"I never will," Loki winked. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Just … just follow me to your room, will you?" Tony set off walking into and through the mansion. The guards and snipers didn't fire at Loki as he sauntered into the building: they'd been warned he might be coming.

"Have you given up on keeping me in your despicable little prison cells then? It was quite a pointless endeavour anyway," Loki quipped with satisfaction. A room of … sorts would be far more comfortable, especially not having anyone stare at you through glass walls.

"Well, let's just say you're a guest for now."

"Does this then mean I will have to share facilities with someone, seeing as you have only a limited number of rooms," Loki remembered from his prior research when Saffron had been his ally. He gasped, "Oh please tell me Thor didn't convince you to make me room with him! Otherwise I will leave this very instant!"

Tony chuckled, "Nope, we figured you'd react like that if we tried."

"Am I to room with you then?" Loki asked in a tone which Tony found far too eager, as Loki's suddenly lascivious eyes travelled down Tony's frame.

"Yeah … that is not happening either," Thank god, he thought. "You're getting your own room. We've displaced Natasha into Clint's room."

"I'm in that wench's room?" Loki paused with slight irritation, but then continued to assess the situation. "Have the two of them finally decided on building their love nest? Barton told me they had a very deep connection when I … expanded his mind."

"'Expanded his mind? What a handy euphemism you've got there for making him into your mindless minion with your glow-stick of destiny," Tony suddenly turned to look at Loki, "Speaking of which, what happened to it?"

Loki grinned as Tony's eyes began wandering all over him, searching for his sceptre, "Nothing in particular, I always carry it with me … somewhere." Loki thought of the little dagger with the gleaming blue ball on its hilt which he'd tucked away inside a pocket. "You could always strip-search me for it, but I recommend you don't try to confiscate it, otherwise I may have to rip out your glowing arc reactor prematurely," his eyes danced with amusement.

"Well someone's touchy about their glow-stick," Tony responded, ignoring the comment about strip-searching Loki.

"And how, may I ask, is yours?" Loki's gaze moving pointedly down to Tony's crotch.

"Perfectly fine," Tony snapped, thankful for his suit all of a sudden.

"Yes, well … your reluctance though did diminish your performance, and not mine," Loki teased.

Walking more briskly, Tony responded, "I'll have you know that my performance is exceptional when someone is not trying to rape me, thank you very much."

Loki smirked, "We've been over this already. You were more than willing, so stop playing the victim card."

Tony glared at him.

"Fine," He relented, "But believe me, you're not talking your way into my pants again." Loki slowed a little, so that he walked behind Tony, his eyes sliding down to Tony's metallic ass.

"We'll see about that," Loki breathed.

After another minute of walking Tony stopped.

"That's your room," he gestured to the second room on the right. Curious, Loki walked inside, visibly disappointed. He snapped his fingers, instantly replacing all of Natasha's things with items that were more to his taste. The colours changed, and the already barren room became even plainer. If Tony didn't know better he'd describe it as a luxurious prison cell.

"Natasha's not going to like this," he remarked.

"That's not my problem," Loki countered, stepping back out. "Whose chambers are these?" Loki gestured to the other doors in the corridor.

"Do I look like a tour guide to you?"

Loki was getting annoyed at Tony's irritating behaviour. "As it stands, I am doing you a favour by coming here, so don't be insolent," he spoke acidly.

"Whoop-di-doo you're moving in with us and not trying to kill us for a change. Big deal."

"Do not try my patience, Stark. You may live to regret it. I may take what's yours and damage it beyond repair."

"What? My suit? I've got plenty of those and I'll keep building them forever if I want to," Tony said with a shrug, unimpressed.

Loki shot Tony a calculating look, "I was not referring to that toy of yours. I meant the other. What's her name?" he paused, "Pepper, was it?"

Blood drained from Tony's face. He roughly grabbed Loki's shoulders, "You wouldn't."

Loki slowly began peeling away Tony's fingers, "There are very few things that I would not do, Stark."

Tony's eyes widened and stepped away in utter horror.

"Fuck you, Loki," he said with unveiled hostility.

"Don't worry, you shall," Loki replied lightly, amusement sparking in his eyes again. Tony sucked in a shocked breath, realising Loki hadn't given up his senseless pursuit to conquer him.

"Get lost," Tony said brusquely before his faceplate snapped shut, and he flew off.

Dejected, Loki whispered, "Too late."


	9. Chapter 9: Resistance

"I still can't believe Director Fury let him stay here," Natasha whispered to Clint, as they stood at the kitchen counter, preparing dinner for two.

"You know what I can't believe?" he asked. She shook her head in response. "I can't believe Thor's still trying to get him to talk," he said nodding towards the two tall demi-gods sitting at the dining table. Loki sat stiffly, almost formally, and ate using his fork and knife to dissect his chicken, all the while trying to ignore Thor. Meanwhile Thor was talking with his mouth-full, and gesturing with a chicken leg in his right hand. Loki's eyes briefly flit towards Thor, but his face revealed nothing. His poker-face was perfect.

"I'll never understand them," Natasha replied picking up her plate and heading out to the dining room, with Clint trailing behind her.

A couple minutes later, Bruce walked into the Avengers' kitchen. He held his glasses in his right hand, and was rubbing his eyes with his left. He'd been working for the last 6 hours in the lab. The constant use of the microscope strained his eyes, but he was getting close, incredibly close to finding a viable solution in his latest research. He'd just have to pull an all-nighter in the lab. Placing his glasses back on his nose, he began looking around for Tony's fancy little coffee machine, and saw it hiding in the corner. He wasn't particularly fond of the machine, because it too was programmed by Tony to give some retorts to some of the Avengers. Thankfully, it was more cruel to the others than to him, maybe because he was a scientist, he wasn't sure. He switched it on, and placed an espresso glass into it. "Hello Dr. Banner, do you need a steaming cup of coffee?" the machine asked, letting off steam into his face. Bruce coughed and stepped away from it, waving the steam away.

"Just make me an espresso," Bruce asked the coffeemaker. Happily it began buzzing away, as it poured espresso into the glass. Bruce took his glasses off, and began wiping the condensed water off with a handkerchief.

Steve walked into the kitchen and saw Bruce, "Did the coffee machine steam you again?" Bruce nodded.

"It seems to have it in for me," he said with a low chuckle.

"I don't go near that thing anymore, since it sprayed coffee into my face," Steve said, pouring himself a glass of water, and leaning against the kitchen counter.

"I am not a thing!" The machine complained, before Bruce pulled the plug.

"Yes well, I need my coffee right now," Bruce said quietly, as he picked up the espresso.

"I wish Tony would just let us get a normal machine, one which doesn't talk back," Steve sighed as he drank his water.

"Oh, but that's never going to happen," Bruce smiled a fond little smile, "his machines are his babies. He would never allow us to replace his babies."

"Speaking of Tony, I haven't seen him in a couple days. Where is he?" Steve furrowed his eyebrows.

"Tony? Oh, he's locked himself away in his workshop," Bruce said as he slowly began drinking his espresso. He made a face as the hot liquid travelled down his throat.

"I wonder what's wrong with him. He wasn't working on anything new, as far as I'm aware," Steve replied as he put his glass down on the kitchen counter.

"Well…" Bruce contemplated what he could possibly tell Steve. He trusted Steve with his life, and didn't want to lie to him, but then again it was not up to Bruce to tell him Tony's secrets. Also, he didn't want to be the one telling the team that Stark nailed Thor's little brother. After taking a deep breath, Bruce confessed: "Pepper broke up with him."

Instantly concern etched its mark on Steve's face, and he pushed himself off the kitchen counter.

"I'll go talk to him," he said starting to head out.

"I wouldn't …" Bruce started. Steve turned around briefly.

"He shouldn't have to hide himself away. Especially with that drinking habit of his," he said sternly, and disappeared through the doorway.

Indeed, when Steve arrived in Tony's workshop he was drunk. Tony was lolling around in his Porsche 911 Carrera convertible, with its top down. He had a half empty bottle of Grand Cru in his hand, and was drinking from it greedily, like a baby drinking it's mother's milk from a bottle. Steve walked through the workshop, until he reached the car, and noticed three empty bottles of spirits rolling around on the passenger seat.

"Steve!" Tony exclaimed, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his good friend, "Stay here Steve, don't leave!" He patted the seat occupied by his bottles eagerly. Steve frowned. He knew Tony always drank a little, but Tony only became this … companionable when he was really drunk. Like the time when Thor and Tony played a drinking game, and Tony ended up hugging everyone, and clinging onto everyone.

"I'm not leaving," Steve said as he opened up the car door. He moved the bottles and sat down on the incredibly comfortable seat. Tony offered him the bottle he'd been sucking on and Steve shook his head. Tony shrugged and glugged away. "Tony," Steve reprimanded taking the bottle away from him.

"Hey! I wasn't finished yet!" Tony said trying to grab the bottle and failing miserably.

"You're finished now," Steve said in a parental voice, whilst looking at him with concern. "Tony … how are you?" Steve asked awkwardly.

"I'd be a lot better if you gave me my wine back," Tony retorted childishly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Tony …" Steve put his hand on his shoulder looking into Tony's eyes, "Be honest with me. How are you _really_?"

After a moment of hesitation _everything_ broke out of Tony. "I hate it, I hate it so much! I can't protect Pepper anymore, because she broke up with me. I can't help her though I still care for her, and then all these unnecessary complications flying at me from every side! And I just don't want to _want_ that long-haired, long-legged bastard the entire time!" Steve looked up in confusion. _Is "bastard" not usually referring to men? _"Plus I'm fucking hard every moment of every day cause I keep think of … everything! Ah! I feel like my brain's just as empty as a fucking balloon!" He shouted in exasperation, banging the steering wheel with his fist.

Steve gulped, he wasn't really sure how to respond to Tony's … rant, as he didn't understand half the implications anyway. So, he went with the standard response to break ups: "I'm sure you two can patch things up. Pepper's quite forgiving, and she loves you. And you shouldn't worry about being able to protect her, she can take good care of herself." He smiled reassuringly at Tony but that just got an even more intense reaction.

He threw his hands up in the air, "I'm repulsive! I repulse her, I repulse myself, and I should repulse you! It's just I keep feeling all this … shit!"

Steve took his hand off Tony's shoulder and spoke gingerly, "I'm sure you don't repulse her."

"Oh come on!" Tony made a disbelieving face at him, "Even you'd be repulsed by me if I told you I slept with Loki."

Steve froze.

His eyes widened with shock. "Wait, _what?"_ he managed to say, completed flabbergasted by the turn this conversation just took.

"Fuck!" Tony bellowed hitting the steering wheel again, honking, "I wasn't going to … Ah!"

"You … You … fondued with Loki? _Loki?"_

"Yes! I had sex with Loki!" Tony exclaimed before burying his face in his hands and shaking his head.

"Tony! Of all people you had to sleep with our enemy? The man whose tried to kill us multiple times? And- Oh my gosh! What about Pepper? And- For the love of all that's holy, Tony, what about Thor?! How do you think Thor will react to you fonduing with his little brother!"

"Stop calling it fondue!"

"Stop trying to change the topic. Thor will _kill _you. You've seen how strong he is! His biceps alone are the size of my head! He'll kill you when he finds out!"

Tony's eyes widened impossibly as he slowly looked up at Steve, and horror appeared. "No!" he exclaimed in a whispering tone. "Don't tell Thor!" Violently he turned to Steve and clawed his shirt, pulling him closer desperately. "Don't tell anyone! They'll say I fucked up again!"

"Tony-"

"Please, Steve …" Tony let go and rest his head against the steering wheel. "Please. I don't want to die yet …"

"Tony …"

"Please … Steve …" Tony's voice became fainter as he began to drift off.

"Are you falling asleep?" Steve asked in shock. He knew Tony was a mercurial drunk, but this much? Really?

Tony mumbled something incoherent in response. Sighing, Steve proceeded to climb out of the car, and walked over to the driver's side. Bending over, Steve grabbed Tony by the waist and pulled him up, throwing him over his shoulder like a bag of flour. With ease, Steve carried the drunk man back to his usual bedroom and lay him on the bed. He sighed, "Take better care of yourself, Tony. You need it."

Quietly he shut the door and left the drunk genius to sleep off as much of the imminent hangover as possible.

Minutes after Steve returned Tony, a dark shadow oozed into the room from the crack of the bedroom door. The misty substance collected in front of the bed and slowly took on the graceful form of the trickster god.

The scent of alcohol permeated the room, every inch of it filled with the foul stench. Loki made a face, scrunching up his nose, as he gazed at the sleeping man who was turned away from him.

_No. I'll wait a little longer. Stark must be fully conscious for our next round of coitus. He must feel the full pain of desire and longing, while I make him wait for fulfilment and satisfaction._

Loki was about to teleport away as Tony mumbled his name: "Loki …"

Loki reacted immediately and took on a defensive position, expecting an attack. Tony lay unmoved and asleep. Loki sighed in relief as he realised Stark was merely sleep-talking.

"Loki …" Tony called again, "Why won't you leave me alone … get out of my head … Bastard …"

Loki chuckled at the last bit. Perhaps this was going to be amusing. Conjuring a chair beside the bed, Loki sat down, his legs wide apart and leaning back. He sat with amusement and listened intently.

"-Don't care that I fancy- pants off of you … Can't hurt them … please … I always disappoint them … Bruce … Steve … Pepper … Dad …"

Loki stiffened as Tony mentioned his father. Did Stark have a negative relationship with his deceased father?

"I can't … Don't wanna be alone … Dad … don't … don't be … disappointed … Sorry, sorry … for disappointing … please … I- I-"

Loki perceived a little pain in his chest as Tony rambled on. Stark reminded him of … of … of himself, surprisingly enough. Behind all that talk, behind all that bravado, he too was a lonely little man in a tin-can called a suit. He too felt inferior.

_Stark finds it impossible to follow his Father's footsteps … _Loki had never even considered taking Odin's heritage. It was immense and unfeasible to try and live-up to the Allfather.

He looked at the sleeping man again, the pain etched in his features, the sorrow, the unhappiness …

Loki felt the loneliness he has suppressed for so long spreading through him, as he finally realised what had drawn him to Stark. He saw _himself_ in Stark. Both broken. Both lost. Both alone.

He'd tried to dominate and master Stark because he'd wished to prove his superiority, but one broken item is never superior to another. Both remain broken.

The contempt he felt for Stark melted away. There was nearly … a tenderness as he recognised his own image in Tony. Loki leant forward and looked at Stark intently, inspecting his mirror.

Tony, feeling a burning gaze on him, opened his eyes to find Loki staring at him. He blinked a couple times before his eyes could focus on the demigod. He froze. _Is he back for round two?_ Tony's heart seemed to stop beating for a second. Loki was still awestruck, as he caught Tony's expression and smiled softly. Tony flinched as he expected the wicked grin and some rough manhandling, before Loki would … well … ravish him. But nothing happened. Tony opened an eye and looked at Loki. But before he could do anything, the god had swooped down and pressed his lips against Tony's gingerly. Loki smiled warmly as he gazed into Stark's eyes for a moment, before teleporting away.

Tony was stunned, his jaw dropped open as he stared into the wall in a daze. Despite being drunk as a skunk, he came to his senses and called out.

"Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?" came the disembodied voice.

"Did … did Loki just creep on me, kiss me, and then just leave?"

"Indeed sir, he did, although the phrase 'creeping on you' may not be a correct formula-"

"I don't give a damn about wording."

"Very well, sir. Would you like to watch the footage again, sir?"

"No … no." Tony spoke slowly, still shocked. "Remind me in the morning to watch it. And for now move the footage to my private files and remove it from the main frame."

"Yes, sir. It has been done."

"Good … and Jarvis?"  
"Yes, sir?"

"Where's Loki right now?"

"Mr. Laufeyson is in Miss Romanoff's former habitation. Do you want to send a request for him to return?"

"NO!" Tony exclaimed before composing himself, "I mean … no … er … lock the workshop … turn off the lights … erm, and wake me up at 8 with some strong coffee."

"Yes, sir."

Loki lay back on his bed, feeling a strange sense of peace and contentment. What was this? He'd either never felt it before, or it must have been millennia since he felt it. It felt familiar though … He couldn't begin to fathom the strange tenderness that had overcome him, but he held onto it for the few minutes that it lived. Quickly, as the misty sense of joy fell away, he realised he seemed to be developing some sort of emotion for Stark, something that stopped his attraction from merely being physical.

_This is very bad._ Troubled, he turned onto his side, and curled up.

_Perhaps Stark will forget this ever happened,_ he thought hopefully,_ he is drunk after all, and some drunkards cannot remember anything._

Clinging onto this feeble hope, Loki fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

"Sir, it is 8am."

Tony didn't stir, simply mumbling something.

Pepper, whom Steve had called, came into Tony's room carrying the coffee that was waiting outside his door.

"JARVIS, have you tried to wake him up yet?" Pepper asked, looking up at the ceiling then back down at the man, completely sprawled across the bed.

"Yes, Miss Potts. Mr. Stark isn't waking up. It seems he is still in his deep sleep cycle."

"We'll see about that," she knelt down beside the bed and held the coffee by his nose. A couple of seconds later, Tony began sniffing like a bloodhound. Though his eyes were still closed, he breathed, "Coffee. Gimme." His head was killing him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Pepper on his bed leaning down and offering him coffee. She smiled warmly.

"Pepper? What are you doing here?" he blundered while he took the cup.

"Steve called," she used her professional voice, trying to remain cool and distant.

"Steve…. Steve…" Tony tried to remember last night, but it seemed fuzzy. Like the lines between memory and dream had blurred, and now everything was just a huge splash of paint. Right… he'd be drinking in his workshop… and… Steve had come by… Yeah, Steve had brought him back to his room…. Something was missing…

And then it hit him like a bus, hard and fast, knocking the breath out of him: He'd told Steve about Loki.

He gulped at last before he spoke, "What did Steve say?"

"Steve told me you were drinking, I know that's nothing new… but he said you were downright drunk… and that it was really bad…"

"You came because you were concerned?"

She bit her lip, losing her facade "Tony, I may have broken up with you, but I still care about your well-being. I always have, and always will. But… Tony, that's not all he said…"

He looked at her, shamefully.

"He-he also told me you were beating yourself up about the Loki incident…"

"I-"

"Tony, please don't-" He couldn't stand it anymore.

"I know there's nothing I can say that'll fix us, cause I screwed up for good, and that's not something I can take back, but you've got to know you're the only woman I've ever truly cared about, and I don't want you to hate me. Please, Pepper. I won't say that what happened with Loki wasn't partly my fault, 'cause that would be a lie, and even I know that. I know we've always had this banter going on during battle, and everything, but I seriously never thought he'd seek me out and- and- that's just so confusing and- and- I-I- still love you- but- there's this strange raw attraction, that's just… just terrifying…. But-but- it scares the shit of me and there's nothing I can do. And I've been trying to keep a distance but it's like he built a holiday house inside my head, and- and-"

Pepper grabbed his hands, and said in the most soothing yet imperative voice she could muster, "Tony, Stop. Calm down, Tony. It's okay, I don't hate you. I'm hurt, but I know it's taking a toll on you. And I don't enjoy seeing you suffer."

"Pepper?"

"Tony, I forgive you for it, but there's no going back for us. I'm not risking my heart again, especially while there is something between you and Loki. You have to figure that out, because you can't continue like this. You'll destroy yourself if you do, and I wouldn't stand to lose you Tony."

"But-"

"No Tony. Goodbye." She handed him the coffee cup and got up. He sat speechlessly, gawping at her, as she turned on her heels and walked out in her pencil skirt and blouse. Dumbstruck, he sipped his coffee as the voice of his AI brought him back to the present. "Sir, do you wish to watch the footage now?"

Tony nearly jumped out of his skin, as he split his coffee onto the sheets. "Damn it JARVIS! Can't you tell I'm in thought?"

"Sorry, sir. "

"Wait… what footage?" The coffee hadn't kicked in yet, had he forgotten something?

"The footage from last night, Sir. Mr. Laufeyson's visit."

Loki had come by? Tony couldn't remember anything. As if his mind had gone blank. What was this? He usually held his liquor so well! He'd never blacked out before. What was happening, and why did Loki co-

The blood drained from his face. Did he…Did he sleep with Loki again?

The horrifying thought lingered in his mind. Had Loki claimed his second round? Did Loki clear his memory? What had Loki-?

"Sir?" JARVIS asked hesitantly.

Snapping out of it he spoke, "Yes, project it onto the touchscreen walls." Tony had converted his technology-barren room into a high-tech chamber. The walls had been enhanced with touch screen materials, enabling him to project and interact with imaged covering the walls. A life-size image of Loki and Tony appeared: Tony was sleeping and Loki was staring at him, scrunching up his nose in disgust.

"Pause. JARVIS, when did I start sleep talking?"

"Two nights ago, sir."

"Huh…" he contemplated that for a fraction a second before he shook his head, "Play."

The video continued. He watched Loki get tense and relax. It was surreal to listen to his night-time ramblings. Tony realized how long he'd been suppressing these feelings. Just everything.

But what really took his breath away was that serene, gentle expression that chased Loki's controlled mask away. Gosh he… he looks as if… as if… like he was in love. His eyes widened in disbelief. Wait. Does Loki like me? Like a school-girl?

Tony watched himself on the recording. Terrified, and vulnerable, just to be kissed tenderly by the man he feared the most. Tony shook his head vehemently. No, I'm reading too much into this. Loki's a fucking asshole. He's probably just messing with my head. He's trying to drive me crazy before he's going to fuck me against my will. Plus that son of a bitch wouldn't know what love is, if a goat bit his nose and sang about it…

Breakfast was like high school all over again, with cliques in each corner, sizing each other up, and whispering. Clint and Natasha were leant up against the kitchen counter, sipping coffee and speaking in low voices as they watched the alien brothers, and so were Bruce and Steve from the doorway.

Meanwhile, Tony was doing his level best to act like his usual cocky self, opening with a lame line: "Don't fear, I'm here." Tasha didn't even bother shooting him a bored look; she'd grown used to him self-obsessed commentary. Clint laughed, while Steve and Bruce gave him disapproving looks. The only person who didn't even notice him entrance, was Thor. Thor was intently trying to engage Loki in conversation, but Loki's eyes were fixed upon Tony. He watched him from the corner of his eyes, perhaps he has forgotten. Please forget.

"How is your head, Tony?" Steve asked disapprovingly, as Tony walked towards him

"Nearly as good as new. You know my liver's practically indestructible. But I seem to have forgotten everything about last night…"

"Really?"

"Yup."

Loki suppressed a sigh of relief, Praise the norns! He's forgotten my actions, and my vulnerability. I must restrain myself. It was too close a call last night.

Immediately Loki stood up and began heading for the door. Thor, set out to follow him, but the look Loki shot him, stopped him in his tracks, before backing down and returning to his seat.

Steve lowered his voice, so that only Tony and Bruce could hear him, "Tony… you told me about your… encounter with our…. guest."

Tony sighed, "I know. "

"You know? I thought you said-"

"I know what I said. It's true. I forgot everything…. But Pepper told me."

"You saw Pepper?" Bruce exclaimed in surprise. "How is she? Have you two reconciled…"

"No. We haven't and aren't going to. She's fine, but she doesn't trust me anymore. With right. I think she's trying to keep a professional distance from me. She… she's better off without me. I'd just drag her down."

"Tony…" Bruce began.

"It's okay. We were never meant to work out."

Steve patted him on his back.

"It will be fine, Tony. You'll find something that makes you happy. But… "

"We've been thinking," Bruce interjected timidly, "maybe it might be better if he stops living here… Given the circumstances…"

Tony shook his head. "No, Bruce. I know you mean well, but we need him to get to that woman without burning down half of Manhattan again. It's better to keep him here and keep an eye on him."

Steve smiled, warmly, a smile he always reserved for Tony, "That's very selfless of you."

"Thanks," he replied drily.

But I've got to get this sorted quickly. Otherwise I'm sure my hands will fall off from exhaustion sooner or later…

Loki was back in his room. His fears had been averted, and so he could concentrate on tracking Saffron once again. He sat on the floor and closed his eyes.

A knock sounded.

"Go away, Thor," Loki called out automatically, not bothering to open his eyes.

The door opened, "I told you to…" he opened his eyes and stopped as he saw Tony.

"For a master of magic you really have to work on recognising people."

Loki smiled a little, "What do you seek, Tony? Eager for a second round already? His eyes wandered over Tony playfully, "I didn't think you were this eager."

"That's not why I'm here right now." He tried to keep cool and detaches, trying to mimic Pepper's business style. "We need to talk."

Loki raised an eyebrow, an amused expression on his face.

"You do realise that you cannot 'break up' with someone you are not dating, Stark?" His eyes glistened with humour.

Tony chuckled in response, "Interesting observation. But you see that's exactly what I want to talk to you about. What is /this/?" he gestured between them.

"A little fun," he smirked. "Just a little." His eyes wandered to Tony's crotch.

"Right… then tell me something else. Why did you kiss me like that last night?"

Loki stiffened immediately. "So you /do/ remember that…"

Tony shook his head, "No, I really can't remember anything about last night, but JARVIS showed me the footage."

Loki's eyes flickered to the ceiling. That damn creation.

His eyes returned to Tony. "What do you want?" he asked through gritted teeth, eyes cold and dead. He wore his mask again. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, you see, that's /my/ question to you," he replied pointedly, "Why did you come to my room last night?"

"Take a wild guess." Loki crossed his arms defensively. Tony knew immediately that his first instinct last night had been true. Loki had been out for round two, but for some inexplicable reason he's backed out again.

"Then why'd you scuttle off?"

Loki glared at him. "I am a god, I do not 'scuttle off', Stark. You were so intoxicated that even a dung beetle would have run from the stench emanating from your mouth."

Tony chortled darkly, "Hmm… looks like I know how to chase demigods away now, maybe I should try it more often."

Loki rolled his eyes, "The reason I didn't touch you in that state had more to do with my wish for you to be completely aware of yourself when I touch you, until you lose all awareness and control due to my influence. I want you to know your surroundings, your desires, and I want to make you forget them all. I want you to feel pain. And I want you to have the pain of waiting, while I get your body ready. I want your pleasure to be mingled with the pain of knowing that every time you gasp, you're selling your soul to me. You're defying everyone, because you yearn for me alone. I want to be your only one."

Tony was speechless at first. Loki was so… possessive, so desperate and needy for attention. He was dangerous of course, but there had to be something else. Loki's darkness… it wasn't natural, and from what Thor said, Loki was a bright kid, a happy kid in their youths. Something had happened.

"Loki, who hurt you so badly that the only pleasure you can imagine, the only joy you want, is brimming with pain and horror?"

Loki's pale complexion only became whiter. "You cannot even begin to fathom what I have been through, Stark." He knew, Tony would understand, due to a similar past, but his pride held him back.

"I'm sure I can try," Tony shrugged.

"I don't want your pity," he answered loathingly.

"Have you ever known me to pity someone, Loki? Nope. And you can be sure as hell that I won't pity you." Tony was determined, he looked completely unimpressed, and something that usually made Loki wild with irritation.

"You do not know me! You do not know what it is like to be lied to your entire existence, to be the inferior, to be unloved, uncared for, despised." Loki turned away, staring out of the window, like a bird within a cage. Looking out into the world that was never his. He was silent for a couple of moments, but when he spoke again, his voice had become quiet. "You don't know what it's like to find out you're actually from a race of monsters, destined to die alone. Destined to fail by the norns themselves. Nobody knows what it's like to be me."

A solitary tear slid down his cheek, on the side that Tony couldn't see.

"It's lonely, Stark. It's a hard life. I try to push the limitations set by fate, and advance as far as I can before fate takes happiness out from beneath me once again."

A long silence ensued.

Tony didn't know what to do. He'd never been the one to comfort others, he always had Pepper take care of that, or he'd hire someone to do the job. He was Iron Man; he had other things to do. But Tony could see that pain was the cause of Loki's problems. He still didn't know the full story, of course, as Thor had only ever revealed that Loki was adopted and nothing else, but he realized one thing. Loki's cruel and destructive ways, his wish to take and control, to make everything burn, was because he was burning from the inside out. He was dying in his heart, and his actions were cries for help. Cries just like Tony's excessive drinking and ostentatious lifestyle. It looked like… Loki wasn't actually completely heartless. Was his heart just more broken than everyone else?

Awkwardly, Tony tried to put his hand on Loki's shoulder, but Loki turned and slapped Tony's hand off of him. "Don't touch me," he hissed.

"Loki, you can't just try to touch me all over, and then suddenly go with 'don't touch me'," Tony quipped, but stepped back, not willing to actually risk his life to comfort a demigod. "But… you should know something. Monsters aren't born, okay? They're made by other monsters. Loki, you have the power to control who you are. There's no fate and destiny, only what you make of yourself. It's what you /do/ that matters. Not what you are."

"What I am does not matter?" he repeated disbelievingly. "Not matter?" he cried out disbelievingly. "It is because of what I am that I was raised. That I became a stolen relic," a hot tear spilt down his cheek, "a pawn in a game of dynastic chess, prepared for a long time, simply to be sacrificed." Another tear. "Unworthy." His anger subsided and a vulnerable Loki presented himself. "Alone." The tears began chasing each other.

"Always to be alone," he began shaking, trying desperately to hold himself together. He didn't want to break; he didn't want to be vulnerable. He wanted to be strong, independent, witty, he wanted to by snarky, but…

He couldn't hold it. He fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands, fighting the ripping sensation, but breaking nonetheless.

"Jeez," Tony breathed.

"Shut up, Stark!" Loki sobbed through his hands.

"No."

"Please shut up! Leave me alone! „He wept desperately, hating that he'd let himself break apart so openly. Why had he spoken to Stark? Why had he ripped the wound open again?

"Nope. I'm not gonna shut up. You feel like your family didn't love? But guess what? I see Thor trying to show you that he loves you, every fucking day in this tower."

"That's not love! Thor feels guilty for having tossed me into the abyss, for having mistreated me, for being the favoured one for all these millennia. He just wants absolution," he spit the word like it was foul in his mouth. "He wants my forgiveness so that he's guilt free. Happy while I'm alone and suffering. I won't give him that. He'd stop caring. No one wants a monster."

Tony raised a questioning eyebrow. "Wow, Loki. You really are delusional."

Loki looked up at Tony, his eyes were reddening and pained. "Why Stark? Why am I delusional? Because I want to prove my worth? Because I want to be worthy of happiness? Isn't that what you are doing? Trying to make your father proud, although he's dead and gone."

This stung. It was below the belt.

"Listen here, you little bastard," he stepped towards Loki angrily, towering over Loki for a change. "We all have our own issues. No one in his or her right mind would want to leave in this tower otherwise. We're all outcasts. But you… you beautiful son of a bitch, you've got to stop bashing yourself over nothing-"

"Nothing!-" he scoffed.

"-Shut up, I'm talking now! You're not a monster, not unless you choose to be a monster. It doesn't matter that you're adopted, and there sure are people who love you!"

For once his silver tongue was silent. Barring Thor and Odin, no one had ever dared to speak so candidly to him. No one had ever been so domineering… He wiped his tears and spoke softly as he looked up at Tony. Two words echoed through the room, "Thank you."

Tony could feel the layers of meaning in those two little words. Thank you for your honesty, for standing up to me, for caring for me, for… loving me?

"Get up, god of mischief, don't cry like a little girl." Loki smiled weakly. That smile made Tony suddenly feel proud, like a father who just taught his son a valuable life lesson, and he felt a tenderness for Loki.

Could… could this be love? He'd felt a similar tenderness for Pepper, but this felt… stronger somehow. How was that even possible? But yet there it was a simple, satisfying, and pure feeling.

Loki knew Tony had done him a great service by merely being candid. He wanted to thank him. His eyes wandered down again, and stopped right in front of him. He had an idea.

Loki reached up affectionately, trying to unbuckle Tony's belt. But when Loki tried to pull Tony's pants down, two hands caught him in a steely grip. Realising Loki's intentions, he simply had to stop Loki. Loki wasn't doing it for lust, or love, or whatever. He was doing it as a repayment. Like a whore.

"No," he spoke in an imperative voice.

Tony's response puzzled Loki. Then remembering his last time with Tony, without moving, he turned into his curvy, female form once again.

"No, Loki. Just stop."

"Why?" she asked in a soft tone, practically purring. That sound drove Tony wild, but he pulled himself together. As Tony didn't say anything, he felt rejection wash through him once again, and looked at the floor. Her eyes were brimming once again. Tony crouched down beside the beautiful woman and took her face in his hands.

"Stop changing yourself, Loki. Stop trying to please me. I want you just the way you are, and not as someone else. You've got to stop trying to please others and learn to accept your ways."

Loki stopped listening right after 'I want you'. Tony wants me. Tony hadn't realized how very true his words were until he'd finally uttered them. He pulled Loki up to her feet and brushed her hair back from her face. Their faces were only centimetres apart, and each could see the struggle in the other's eyes, until they finally moved simultaneously. They pulled each other into a desperate embrace and kissed.

Surprisingly, both were tender, although both were strangers to the concept. Though Tony had just been in control, Loki took the advice to heart, and stood his ground. He parted Stark's mouth with his tongue and lightly began to trace the roof of the other man's mouth, causing Tony to tremble at the light, warm, touch. A grin spread across Loki's features.

"You sadistic bastard," Tony whispered.

"Actually, right now it would be 'you sadistic bitch'," she chuckled.

"Fine, you sadistic bitch," Tony laughed.

"You masochistic little asshole," Loki whispered back against his lips.

Tony acted like he was contemplating that for a moment and then shrugged. "I can live with that."

Loki pulled Tony back into a kiss and let his female form fade away. "How about I get us a little privacy?" Loki whispered into Tony's ear. Suddenly, the window and door were shut, the blinds closed, the lights turned on, and the walls pulsated with green magic, before that too faded away.

"What did you do?"

Loki's eyes sparkled naughtily, "I've sound-proofed this room… It's going to get very loud in here…"

Loki's hands trailed down the back of Tony's trousers lecherously. Tony's eyes widened, but this time it wasn't fear. It was pleasant surprise.

It suddenly struck him that the last hour had somehow changed them. Changed their view of each other, and at least their relationship. Tony stopped fearing Loki, as he accepted that he cared for Loki. He'd realized he was bi, but more importantly, he realized that he didn't need the suit to be a good man.

"Why do you keep trying to get into /my/ pants? I'd love to get into yours instead," Tony snickered.

Loki grinned mischievously, "I'll get into your pants today, and when you've mastered the tricks of the trade, we'll see whether you can master me…"

Loki spun Tony around, and pulled Tony's bottom against his hips. He slipped his hands into the front of Tony's trousers, and began rubbing his limb repeatedly through his boxers. Tony hardened in response, and couldn't help a moan from escaping him. But Loki too could feel desire building up and hardened against Stark, as he kissed Tony's neck.

Unable, and unwilling to move from his current position, Tony pulled his shirt off over his head, revealing his upper body muscles and his arc reactor. Loki let one of his hands trace Tony's upper body, whilst caressing Tony's limb with the other, Loki's lips began wandering across his shoulders. His lips circuited up to his ear, nibbling onto it, as he whispered, "My turn."

He spun Tony back around. He let his leather trench coat fall to the ground and pulled Tony back into a kiss. Feeling Loki's hardening glowstick of destiny pushing against him, Tony felt himself hunger for Loki even more. Tony's kisses turned into bites and his hands started weaving through Loki's silky, raven hair. Meanwhile Loki tried to free himself from the countless buckles and his black shirt, only to have Tony rip them both off of him.

Tony gasped as he took in the sight of Loki. He had pearly white skin, a lean figure, lean& tones muscles, and very pronounced love handles. Loki wore the cocky grin of a god being worshipped and praised.

If his upper body's so gorgeous what about… Tony salivated at the mere thought, but before he could do anything, Loki pulled Tony's pants down and spun him around again, just to fall face-first onto the bed together.

"What-"Tony started, but before he could continue, Loki climbed over him like a crouching panther. Tony could feel that Loki had gotten rid of his own pants too, but he also felt that he was right on one other count: Loki was hung gloriously.

"You will scream my name," Loki breathed into his ear.

And Tony did.

"That was…" different, Tony panted, exhausted, but satisfied.

Loki, who'd collapsed next to him, just grinned.

"You really are a poisonous snake," Tony panted.

"Well, then you're my snake charmer," Loki smirked, making Tony laugh.

"Gosh, Loki it's a good thing you sound-proofed this place," he lay onto his back and stretched out. Loki pressed his lips together, seemingly in thought. "You were quiet loud…"

"Me?" Tony scoffed, "What about you? 'Oh Stark, Stark, /Stark/!' I may be stark naked but I do have a first name," Tony joked, as he watched Loki.

"I… thought you preferred being called Stark. After all, your company is called 'Stark Industries'…" Loki spoke genuinely.

"Well… that's a family business, but I prefer to be called Tony by the people I like and Iron Man by my enemies."

"And in which category do I fall?" Loki raised an eyebrow.

Tony pursed his lips, "You can call me…. 'Lover boy'," Tony joked.

"Be careful, I might take your word on it," he winked, "I might just get used to that, but I wonder how you're… co-workers would react if I called you that in public… I think I'll keep that as a private pet name."

Tony froze at the mere mention of the other avengers, but then it really hit him what Loki had just said. They wouldn't go public. It would be a secret. Tony had to admit that screwing the enemy was indeed bad PR for the Avengers, but then again he didn't want to hide either. After all he hadn't concealed the fact that he was Iron man either.

"Wait, why are we hiding this?"

"Why? I figured it is better for us if we do. That way we'll have privacy and your… reputation will remain intact: 'Stark- the metal angel protecting Midgard.'"

Tony frowned, but Loki had a real point. He thought about it for a couple of minutes, and Loki let him, knowing he was winning.

"Fine, we'll keep it secret. But only if I'm on top next time," he grinned.

"That can easily be arranged."


	11. Chapter 11

Very soon a pattern emerged, in the secret couple's lives. Tony, who was known to spend days hidden away in his precious labs, would only leave the tower when called out on missions, or obviously if it was his turn to patrol New York. A task which he did begrudgingly. So considering his usual self-secluding nature, nobody seemed surprised when he suddenly began spending longer hours, even days, hidden away in the dark corners of his lab underneath the Avengers tower.

It didn't help his cause that he'd recently put a sign up on his lab door saying: "Mad Scientist at work, do not disturb."

Loki, remained in his temporary dwelling place, searching through his portable magical library, hunting for any and all tracing spells which could on some level be useful to him in his vigorous pursuit of his lunatic lady. He'd sit cross-legged on the floor of his room for hours on end, stiff as a stick, with his eyes closed as his seiðr roamed over the planet, slowly and gradually, like the clouds in the sky, all in search of Saffron. Images passed through his mind, like an endless panoramic view, scouring the planet like an orbital satellite. But this magical satellite took it to the next level by infiltrating halls, rooms and all other places on Midgard's ill secured buildings. Nothing remained hidden from Loki. If it weren't for the immensity of the task, he would have found her long ago.

Despite all their tasks and aims, they would drop whatever they were doing immediately if they heard a triple knock on their door. Their signal.

Everything and anything would be forgotten, as the door was pulled open rapidly, and their mouths locked together in a wild frenzy, demanding everything from the source, just like a heroin addict who could not break away. They devoured each other with their eyes, hands, and every other inch of themselves, and it didn't help that both of them were selfish lovers who wouldn't quit until they'd gotten their share of pleasure. Or perhaps that made them the most equal of partners. They both got exactly what they asked for.

Now, no matter what surface they selected for their dirty little games, Loki would always seal all exits and sound-proof the rooms in preparation for their thrills, full of magic and sheer recklessness.

These stolen moments, these wisps of secrecy, were all they had, and yet they never ceased to excite them. One the one hand, Loki's experience with different species and genders was also great aid for their love-life for he knew exactly what to do when he wanted to steal a long, drawn out moan from Tony's lips, even without intimate contact. On the other hand, Tony's humour and his ever-changing flirtatious style thrilled Loki for some strange reason that was even a mystery to the liesmith himself, and so Tony managed to plaster a permanent wicked smile on Loki's lips. Admittedly Tony's hips were also part of the reason why Tony managed to thrill Loki.

Their little games would vary greatly from day to day, each time having a little change to the previous time. Sometimes they changed the locations in which they did it, other times the positions, but on occasion it was something altogether less banal: their genders. It wasn't unheard of that Loki was a shape-shifter, and to please his new lover, he'd occasionally bring out his female form, claiming he derived more pleasure in that guise. But despite all the variety that Loki had to offer, Tony too was turned into a woman once. But if you asked Loki, the event had been Tony's own fault for his usual impertinence. Tony, out of sheer nosiness, had decided to hunt through some Norse mythology, and found one chapter that provided him with enough fodder, to try and torture Loki. Not physical torture, although Tony had the slight suspicion that that it would give Loki a kick if Tony held him down with a whip in one hand and the other clasped around Loki's most sensitive parts. Nope, Tony tried to bully the god of Mischief. It backfired. One didn't just bully the god of Mischief. He'd tormented Loki about turning into a mare and bearing his eight-legged son Sleipnir, a revelation which caused several laugh-attacks. So Loki, the moody-demi-god that he was, decided it was time Tony learnt some respect for women, and promptly turned him into a woman for the remainder of their session that day.

Needless to say, Tony never made fun of Loki again, for turning into a mare, or turning into a woman, ever again.

Despite the utter madness and recklessness that their affair brought with them, Tony never forgot one thing: protection. Especially if one of them was sporting a womb. Maybe it was his life-long ingrained fear of knocking someone up, but Tony never forgot. Never.

"Come on Loki, use a fucking condom! Just because I'm a woman right now, doesn't mean I want a fucking baby!"

Loki rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the comment, laying atop of Anthony's new curves, his limb hard and itching to finally breach her…

"Come now, Antonia, it will hurt more if I use this on you, my little virgin…"

"Don't call me th-" Tony's eyes widened. "You made me a fucking virgin?" she cried out. Loki smirked. His long fingers began circling her heat, and tracing along Tony's hymen. "Indeed… sweetheart!"

"Like hell! Get off me you sick bastard! It's bad enough I'm a woman! You just had to top it off and make me a /virgin/ too! I haven't been a virgin since I was 14!"

Loki raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Fine 17!"

Impossibly his eyebrow went even higher.

"Fine!" Tony pushed Loki off of her. The force was small, and wouldn't have budged Loki an inch if Loki wasn't too amused to put up a fight. "18!"

Loki chuckled, as Tony sat up and crossed her legs.

"Has anyone ever told you, that you're adorable as a riled up female?"

Loki got up just in time to dodge the pillow that flew for his head. "Turn me back and get the hell out of here!"

"Oh, I don't think I want to…" He watched her chest heaving with irritation. "Not when I have such a good view…"

"Fuck you, Loki," Tony glared at him.

"I wish you would."

The sheer audacity of it all suddenly got to Tony. Her stubborn pout slowly slipped away as she couldn't help but suppress a smile, and gradually burst out laughing.

Loki grinned as he sat back down onto the bed and rest his hand on her calf. "Are you done now?" He smiled as he looked at her.

Gradually her low-laughter ebbed away, and she nodded, biting her lips. Keeping his gaze on her face, his fingers stroked over her leg, from her calf up her inner thigh, until he reached her heat again. "Come now… Let's continue where we stopped…" Loki could feel that Tony was still wet and slippery as he let his little finger into her.

Tony kicked Loki's arm away and grinned at the demi-god. "Condom's are in the drawer."

Rolling his eyes, Loki reached for the drawer.

Needless to say, Tony never made fun of Loki's female form again.

The strange lovers sneaked around like this for over a month with no one but the Captain, and Bruce even suspecting their dangerous little liaison. During this month, just like Loki, Tony kept up his search for Saffron. Even though it wasn't particularly fruitful, he stayed on the lookout, just waiting for her to slip up. Loki did the same, but his magic simply couldn't find her. He'd traced the entire planet. She had used a foreign shielding charm.

Both of them had failed.

In public, they kept up their old charade. Loki kept his distance from Thor and acted cold towards Tony, just as cold as he was to all the other Avengers. But the purpose of this charade was to keep their affair a secret from the disapproving eyes of the Avengers. But their fears turned out to be unnecessary. The Avengers knew about Tony's past escapades, and so the oblivious ones didn't bother him much, believing he was still mourning his relationship with Pepper. Meanwhile Pepper, was reinstated as Tony's secretary as she declined the post of CEO. He'd asked her to work for him again, not only because she sorely deserved it for putting up with him for all these years, but also because she was a highly probable target for Saffron's madness. Grudgingly, she accepted the post, under the understanding that they would never spend more than half an hour together in the same room.

Tony snuck out of Loki's room, heading back to his own, with an idiotic grin on his lips. He quietly shut his door and had only just turned around, when he saw her.

He began fumbling for the Mark VII bracelets, but she grabbed him before he could do anything. With a flash of red, they were gone.

Loki stretched out on his bed, content beyond reason, and remembered the intricate details of their last session which had ended just minutes ago.

Lover boy is learning quickly… He's either extremely talented for a mortal or I'm a gifted teacher. He grinned. Probably the latter. The black linen sheets covered him up to his waist. This heart-breaking Adonis, with an irresistible gleam in his eyes, sighed contentedly as his hair lightly fell around his face. He was happy for a change, and he owed it all to Stark. Everything felt warm and beautiful. He was glowing. And so in the comfortable silence of his room, for the first time in a long time, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Hours later, Loki awoke to the soft beckoning of a female voice. At first he didn't stir, but as the calls became harsher and persistent he opened his eyes slowly. He looked around, a little disoriented. There was nobody there. His magic reached out around the room: there was no other presence for sure. "Loki…" the voice called again as a swirling portal opened up on the plain wall across from his bed. Raising his head, he saw through the ethereal gleam of the portal into a darkened room, filled with black mist.

"Loki…" Saffron's dismembered voice called again, "I have him."

Loki clutched his head for a moment as he tried to discern what she meant, and then it hit him. Tony.

His heart began pounding within his chest, pushing him, pressing him, filling him with fear for Tony's well-being. "You don't," he replied firmly, covering up his fears with his façade. The iron mask of a gambler.

Quiet laughter filtered through from the other end of the portal, "Oh Stark, you can search the entire tower but you won't find him there. He's here."

A light appeared in the misty darkness and shone upon a man, beaten and unconscious, tied onto a chair. Tony.

Immediately Loki jumped out of bed, allowing his armour, helmet and sceptre to appear instantly, before he ran through the portal. He wouldn't leave Stark behind. No matter if it was a trap or not. He owed Tony the little sanity that he had. He wouldn't lose him.

The moment he crossed through the portal, it snapped shut behind him.

"Foolish, Loki, oh so foolish. Why do you come so running to save a murderer and a monster?" the empty voice taunted him.

"He's not a monster!" Loki called into the mist, still running towards his illuminated lover. "Monsters are made by other monsters, but he chose to be a good man. A wonderful man. His path is not that of a monster." He recalled Stark's words which had so powerfully influenced him. He'd shown him that he'd been wrong for so long. He'd been wro-

Wait. He immediately stopped running. It was obvious this room was a trap, but there had to be more to it. He looked at Tony again. In the distance, the arc reactor wasn't glowing. That's not Tony.

His eyes searched every corner of the room, but it was futile, he simply couldn't see. Instead he pulled out a dagger and shot at the fake Tony Stark's arc reactor, shattering the glass.

A painful shriek echoed through the darkness and a new light began seeping out of the body, an unhealthy, dangerous red. The body which had resembled Stark contorted, twisting and turning, changing, until the fake arc reactor popped out, and Saffron took its place. She howled with pain, but managed to pull the dagger out of her chest, filled with pure fury. Loki watched in amazement at her actions as he held his sceptre up, pointing it directly at her. How is she still standing? How does she keep surviving? That should have killed her immediately.

The blood gushed out of her wound, staining her clothes bright red, until the stream slowed to a trickle and finally stopped completely, all in the matter of seconds.

"What in Odin's name-"

A cruel, cold-blooded smile swept across her face as she stared at him. She was not born a healer. He knew that for sure. Healing wasn't a skill one could learn, it was a skill one had to be born with. Naturally minor healing spells could be learnt, but such great healing powers… they could only be part of a natural gift. Inconspicuously, he shot his magic through the room, disguising it in the same black sheen of the mist, the soarse magic reaching through every corner of the darkened room.

There were three fully formed bodies in the room, but… there were four heartbeats.

His eyes instantaneously fell to her stomach.

She's pregnant.

She watched him with amusement trying to fathom his thoughts.

The universe seemed to crash around him. He'd gotten her pregnant with a healer….Stop it! Think strategy! The voice called within him. Of course! I- I can't kill her. Not until she's birthed…the child will heal her until then.

Sensing her chance to escape the god, she ran. The dagger she'd pulled out of herself, split into four daggers. Smiling vindictively, she threw them all straight into the darkness before she dematerialized.

The daggers sliced through the air, but also through flesh. An ear-piercing scream echoed, as the mists settled and disappeared into the cracks in the floor, revealing the true Tony Stark: tied, beaten and pierced by daggers. The intensity of the pain caused him to lose consciousness. "Tony!" Loki rushed to his side, and sighed with relief as he saw that none of the daggers had pieced deeply into his flesh. At least not deep enough to kill him. As he had run towards Tony, he'd snapped his fingers, so that the ropes binding Tony fell to the floor.

Picking up his unconscious lover he teleported back to the Avengers facility. If anyone could help Tony now, it was Dr. Banner.

A/N: Please drop some reviews on how you find the story so far. Do you like the way its progressing?


	12. Chapter 12

"Banner! Banner!" Loki cried out in a shrill, desperate voice, as he spread Tony over the dining room table. The strange desperation in the demi-god's voice permeated every corner of that floor. Immediately Thor came running to Loki's side, seeing his injured teammate.

"What hast thou done to the man of Iron, brother?" His voice was a misture of anger and worry, as he stared at the wounds. "Have you engaged in battle?"

Loki glared at Thor as he kept calling for Banner.

"Loki," Thor caught hold of Loki's hands which were hatefully gripping the daggers as if wanting to pull out the evil spirits which were hurting his lover so painfully. "What happened?"

Loki's loathing gaze scathed Thor. He tried to sustain the anger in his gaze, but he failed miserably as tell-tale tears began collecting, and his eyes were brimming. "I didn't do anything," he breathed, before his face scrunched up in pain, and he shut his eyes, allowing the tears to fall.

Thor was completely bewildered. Why would his brother cry at the injury of a man who had often been his enemy and often succeeded in imprisoning him? Why would Loki care? And what was Loki's part in all of this?

Thor loosened the grip he had on Loki's wrists and pulled him into an embrace, and Loki let him. It had been a long time since Loki had allowed himself to be so vulnerable around Thor. A soft sob escaped Loki, like a young child.

It was then that Bruce came running in. Bruce had been in the R &D section of the Avengers tower as JARVIS had informed him that Tony was injured and that Loki was calling for him.

"What happene-" he stopped short as he saw the brothers in an embrace, and his best friend dying on the kitchen table. Immediately Loki shoved Thor away, and made a disgusted sound before he turned to Banner.

"That mad-woman kidnapped him and stabbed him! Please Banner, save him!" Loki's plea was so sincere and heartfelt that Bruce was taken aback. Why was Loki so attached all of a sudden? Did the affair a couple months ago actually mean something to the psychopa-.

Bruce stopped his thought process, and strode towards his unconscious friend. "You know I'm not actually a medic, don't you? I'm a physicist." Nevertheless, Bruce's eyes and hands wandered over Tony. He rubbed his temple.

"But you have experience in this field," Loki spoke of Calcutta, "You're the only one who can save him!"

"Listen, the daggers are too deep for me to do something. I can't do anything. If I try, it might just injure him more, and we want to avoid serious internal bleeding and damage."

"No! If you can't save him no one can! And I don't have any healing stones anymore! I can't save him! I'll lose him!"

Half-way through Loki's cries, Thor rushed out of the dining room and strode quickly through the kitchen, living room, and multiple corridors until he got to his room. Under his winged helmet, which lay on the table they'd placed in his room, lay a bag of asgardian healing stones. Grabbing the stones, and Mjölnir, he flew back into the dining room, breaking through several walls in the process, as he hurried to save his comrade.

"I have some," he declared with pride before Loki snatched the bag out of his large, clumsy hands. No longer afraid, Loki yanked the daggers out of Stark.

In that same instant, Steve, Natasha and Clint came walking in, only to freeze to the spot, like three deer in the headlights together.

Bruce shouted something in protest as he tried to grab hold of Loki, but Loki was too strong and too fast for Banner. He pushed Banner towards Thor absentmindedly, as he flung the daggers into the wall in the distance, and crushed the healing stones over the wounds and spread them. Closing his eyes, he whispered a soft incantation for their activation, and suddenly a new blue light erupted from all over Tony's chest. Loki kept his hands on Tony's chest, and allowed green magic to seep from his fingertips. Although his healing skills were minimal, it couldn't hurt to try and amplify the effects of the healing stones.

"You're not going to die on me! Not now! Not after everything!" Loki sobbed with joy as he fell to his knees and pressed his forehead against Tony's arm. His body heaved, as the glow of magic ebbed away from Tony.

The spectators were bewildered beyond words, and even Bruce and Steve, who'd known that Loki and Tony had something strange going on at some point, never in their wildest dreams considered the possibility that Loki could actually care for Tony.

A soft scream emanated from the formerly dying man's lips, as he recalled daggers flying at him. Immediately everyone's eyes went from Loki to Tony.

"Praised be Odin!" Thor declared as Loki got up quickly, and leant over the dining table.

"Praise be!" Loki cried out before he glued his lips against Tony's in a hungry and frantic kiss, laced with elation and relief.

A collective gasp echoed through the room, as five mouths fell slack in surprise. Horror, embarrassment, incredulity and sheer disbelief were present in the faces of the spectators.

"Did Loki just…" Clint stammered, nudging Natasha, but she just closed her mouth, though she stared transfixed at Tony, as he opened his mouth willingly for Loki. Meanwhile Steve's face was turning a deep shade of red, and Bruce turned away after an uncomfortable cough.

Tony had a beaitifc smile plastered to his face as Loki pulled his lips away and opened his eyes to look at his demigod. Loki was his.

"Brother! What are you doing? Why do you engage the man of iron so?" Thor's voice boomed through the corridors of the Avengers facility.

Loki smiled like a cat who'd just gotten his share of milk, heavy lided and happy, as he extricated himself from Tony, and turned to face the others. "I'm kissing your colleague, what else does this look like to you? The sport of kicking balls around fields?"

Tony chuckled from the table, and Loki slid him a happy discreet smile, as Thor began thundering again: "Do not play with Anthony's heart, brother. I'll warn you once only. He is a good man, and cannot afford to be sucked into your web of lies." Thor was holding on to Mjölnir and pointing it between Loki and Thor, as one might point at someone with a pen accidentally.

Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes, as suddenly everything was perfect for him again. "What ever makes you think I play with Stark's heart?"

"Are you not?" Thor asked, bewildered all of a sudden. "Does that mean you have honourable intentions?" Thor's eyebrows knitted together, as he put Mjölnir back to the ground.

Loki let out a near hysterical laugh at Thor's word choice. He didn't have a care in the world anymore. Nothing mattered anymore, but that Tony was still alive. "When have you ever known my intentions to be honourable!" He laughed as wicked gleam appeared in his eyes, and his fingers stroked around Tony's arcreactor. "My intentions are far from honourable, and I hope his are too…" He turned to look into Tony's eyes. ""I've grown to care for this mortal."

Again silence struck as everyone was dumbfounded by Loki's revelation, especially Tony.

"Wait, what? Could- could you said that again?" Tony breathed feebly, before pushing himself up onto his elbows. "You-you actually care for me?"

Loki smiled absentmindedly, as his eyes rested on Tony's former stabholes, and let his fingers travel to Tony's stubbly jaw, before looking at his face again. "You might even call it love, on Midgard."

Tony sucked in a surprised breath.

He was speechless.

How- What- Why- nothing made sense. Could Loki possibly love him? He'd never thought it possible, just like everybody else in the universe, apart from Loki himself apparently.

"I-I-" Tony began, only to realise he was genuinely overthinking this. He shut his eyes, and just paid attention to himself. How it felt like when Loki said he loved him.

It felt damn perfect.

"I think I love you too," he shook his head at himself as he looked into those emerald eyes. "I have no clue how you did it, but I think I do…"

Loki bent over again, and tenderly kissed Tony before whispering into his ear, "I think I know how I did it…" His hand grazed over Tony's crotch, and Tony stiffened immediately.

"What the…What is this… What am I see… Am I in one of Stark's parallel universes?" Clint exclaimed in exasperation.

"I do not know what this universe parallel is, but it seems my brother has taken Anthony as a man of his heart, and that Anthony has reciprocated this affection." Thor's lips spread into a broad grin, as he pat Tony's shoulder, nearly pushing him through the table in the process. "Welcome to the family!"

Tony stared at him as if Thor had suddenly grown a second head. "Woah woah! Not so fast there! We just got- We're not- We're not getting married…"

Loki pressed his lips together to hide his amusement at Tony's reaction, but his lips curled at the corners into a tell-tale sign.

The world seemed to snap into focus as Tasha spoke up at last.

"Back up for a moment boys. Not only has Tony declared his love for one of our greatest enemies, someone whose tried to kill each and every one of us multiple times, he also had multiple daggers stuck in his chest, and no one is wondering what happened? Or where they were?" She asked incredulously.

Loki tore his eyes away from Tony for just a brief moment in which he levelled off Natasha with some irritation, for ruining his moment.

"Patience, Agent Romanoff, I will inform you of the proceedings, but allow me to create a protective barrier around this tower before I do so, so that the mad woman does not break in again. But I cannot do it just now. My magic has been weakend and I am not strong enough at present."

"Oh come on guys! He's just trying to buy himself some time so he can come up with a convincing lie!" Clint exclaimed.

"Guard your tongue, barton. I could tell you a slew of convincing lies this very moment, but I prefer the truth at this moment in time as she is a threat to myself as well." He fumed, as he looked at Barton. "Watch if you don't believe me."

He grunted as he let his remaining magic appear in the palm of his hand. The green flames of his powers danced beautifully for a moment before they slowly died away, weakened.

Unexpectedly, Tony grabbed hold of Loki's hand and led it to his arcreactor.

"Hey! You're not going to do anything funny on the table I eat on! Do you hear me Tony?" Steve exclaimed as he eyed Tony disapprovingly. "Just because you're public now, it doesn't give you the right to involve this table in your sacrilegious practices!"

Tony chuckled as he turned to look at Steve. "Well Steve, looks like I've been a bad influence on you after all on your oh-so-pure-mind. I wasn't actually going to 'get-up-to-anything' I just wanted to explain an idea I had about magic."

Loki cocked an eyebrow at Tony, while Steve turned crimson and looked away. Tony gripped Loki's hand again and pressed it palm down against his arcreactor.

"Can you use it?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Use what?" Loki asked, perplexed.

"The energy produced by my arc reactor. I mean, just think about it. Remember that first time when this was still Stark Tower? My arc reactor absorbed your magic. What if it's a reversible process? What if you can turn the electrical energy of my arc reactor into magic? What if magic is just metaphysical energy which we just don't know how to control or harness? Then it would just be a process of energy conversion, right?"

Loki's eyes widened in surprise. How had he never considered the inane similarity between his own flickering, glowing magic, and the electricity that ran through Tony's chest, that earthly magic of science? Even Thor's limited magic, his prowess over lightning, wasn't lightning essentially just electricity?

"I can try," Loki responded breathlessly, the mere idea of this working was radical and intoxicating. His heart began to beat a little faster, as his hands completely covered Tony's arcreactor and twitched slightly with green flickers of magic. Closing his eyes and concentrating on the flows of magic, the green anchored itself into the blue arc reactor. Slowly Loki drew his hands away in a gesture like that of a sailor pulling on a rope.

The Avengers, including Tony himself, stared in amazement as the blue light from his arc reactor came seeping out into his lover's hands, shimmering like liquid silver, before seeping into Loki and being absorbed. Loki threw his head back and moaned as he felt the energy filling himself up. Filled with power and strength. His eyes opened wide as he focused on the ceiling, his eyes ablaze in an unnatural green glow. He felt like a giant flame: uncontrollable and destructive.

Despite a grin of triumph forming Tony's lips for having his conjecture proven, that grin faded as quickly as it had arrived. His entire body weakened. As the energy created by his arcreactor was being sucked out of him in the most part only a minimal amount remained to keep the shrapnel away. But what was worse than that, was that the electrolytes in his body were reacting to the flow of electrons and energy: Loki was accidentally sucking his life energy dry.

Within moments Tony was weakened that he couldn't prop himself up anymore. "Loki…" he breathed hoarsely as he fell back onto his back and lost consciousness.

The fire in his eyes extinguished, and immediately the energy transfer ceased. His gaze fell upon Tony. "What have I done?"

Bruce pushed Loki aside and began checking Tony's pulse. "Back away from him, Loki. Get away." Tony's heart was beating. Next he checked for breathing. "It seems he's realy weak and just unconscious. But he needs rest. Lots of rest." He glared at Loki briefly before turning to Thor. "Take him to his room. Lay him down and make sure there is plenty of water by his bedside, in case he wakes up. He'll need to replenish. He looks positively dehydrated." Thor nodded and scooped up Tony, carrying the small man in his arms.

In that moment Captain America stepped up as the rest of them were at a loss for words. "Natasha, alert Director Fury about the events. Clint, perch on top of the tower and keep on the lookout. And you…" he spoke bitterly as he stared down the much taller demi-god. "Set up that cursed protective barrier for which you nearly killed Tony."

Under any other circumstance Loki would have disobeyed the order without a second thought, but feeling strangely guilty for harming the mortal he seemed to love, he nodded. He took a deep breathe and let green swirls of magic dance around his hands. He pressed his hands together, almost like he was praying, and before anyone could say anything, the swirl of magic flew explosively out radially, until a giant oval barrier engulfed the entireity of the Avengers Tower. He remained unmoved for several seconds after the barrier had established itself, before he relaxed and his hands returned to his sides. He sighed, and the barrier became and invisible protector.

Loki just wanted to see Tony, but he shouldn't. He knew that. It was his fault in the first place that Tony was half-dead. Despite Steve's continued glares, Loki sat down in a chair around the dining table, staring at the bloodied table and watching his red-stained reflection. He did so for several minutes until Steve's voice interrupted his contemplation.

"Loki. I need you to tell me exactly what happened. All of it, do you understand?"

He seemed to be in a trance-like state as he turned his head slightly and spoke in a mere whisper. "I don't know how she for to him."

"What do you mean?" Steve enquired further, as he sat down on a chair close to Loki.

"He was not with me at the time of capture. All I know is that as I lay in my room a portal opened. She called me. Her voice, it beckoned me, as she showed me Tony…" His voice drifted off.

"Tell me, Loki. Maybe there's something that will help us in the future. Help us protect him. And you."

"Don't protect me. He's the one who will need it. Although…"

"Although… Although what? What are you keeping from us?"

Loki turned a little more, raising his head away from the pool of blood and fixing Steve with his levelled gaze. "Although she might hate me more now that she's pregnant."

"Wait what? She's pregnant? How do you know?"

"She healed herself. When I killed her that night with Tony, at least I thought I did. And today, when I stabbed her… The wound disappeared. She didn't have healing abilities before."

Steve nodded thoughtfully, reassessing the threat that she posed.

"And why would that make her hate you more? I know some people say women get irrational when pregnant, though I've never really believed it, but why would she focus her hate on you?"

"Because the child is mine."

Steve's jaw dropped so suddenly that if it weren't hinged to him, it would have surely hit the floor with a clatter. His eyes bulged out as he could barely process that information.

"You- and her- and a child- and- "

Loki shrugged.

"You-you're having a baby with the woman trying to kill you?" Steve exclaimed.

He nodded nonchalantly, "Indeed." He was surprised at the Captain's reaction. "Even in your world there are females which prey on their partners after the act is completed. They devour them. Spiders, for example."

Steve reddened as he remembered animal biology classes. "But not humans!"

"No matter. The main point is that, yes she is carrying my offspring and yes she wishes me dead. But more importantly, our child will protect her from all harm until the child is born, and thus we cannot destroy her until she has birthed."

Cap gulped, making faces like a gold-fish while he tried to process the onslaught of information that had just hit him. This was way beyond the modern patch-work families he'd grown accustomed to, as well as the acceptability of pre-marital relations. This was magic, and madness, and just unbelievable things.

"So… your- I mean… she is indestructible for the rest of her pregnancy? Does that mean- no wait. How long has she been pregnant already? How long will we have to wait, before we can take any real actions?"

"She's been with child for over a month now."

"Only a month? And that kid's already that powerful? I can't imagine what it'll be like after eight more months…"

"Oh, it won't take that long," Loki spoke factually, "the offspring from other realms don't require such a long development period within their respective mothers. Additionally, it is doubtful whether my child will be human based on my previous track history…"

Cap felt like he was drowning under the pile of information. Steve's hand clamped onto the dining table trying to steady himself before he said or did something idiotic. He shook his head incredulously.

"What do you mean 'not human'? It would still look human, like you, right?"

Loki smiled just a little, it was interesting to watch the leader of the pack fall apart simply because he was telling the truth for a change. Just basic breeding knowledge.

"I'll clarify what I mean. I've had a wolf, a snake, and a girl nearly like the little girls running around in your realm, all born to me by the same giantess. Apart from that, I bore an eight-legged horse during my time as a mare. So it seems that there is no realtion between the species of the parents and the children in the realms where I've travelled. That is why I say that the pregnancy needn't last as long as a normal human pregnancy."

Cap was bewildered. He opened his mouth as if to say something, closed it again, opened it again and continued like this for a while.

Finally he spoke, "Does Tony know any of this?"

Loki shook his head. "How would he? He's been unconscious nearly the entire time."

Steve nodded slowly, looking at the floor and then around the room, depeserately trying to avoid eye contact with Loki.

"Right. Thank you for the… information." He inhaled uncomfortably, "You know I think I heard someone call me… I erm… should go…" He got up and rushed out of the room.

Loki rolled his eyes, thankful that Tony wasn't as squeamish as the official leader of their group. But his worries quickly resurfaced as he starting thinking about Tony again. He wondered whether Tony was still unconscious… But Loki knew it was better for Tony if he didn't check on him.

After some minutes of fruitless contemplation, Loki decided against checking on Tony, and returned to stare at the puddle of blood, feeling dejected.

Deep in thought, he didn't notice Thor's return.

"Brother," Thor called softly. Loki turned slowly, his eyes full of misery for being the one to cause so much unwanted pain to Tony.

"How is he?" he asked in a broken voice. Thor sighed, and sat where Captain Rogers had sat just minutes before.

"Doctor Banner says he will recover. But he needs rest, brother." Loki sighed with relief.

Thor's tone changed though, suddenly becoming authoritative.

"Loki, you do understand the serious nature of the situation, do you not? Your desire for magic, for power, for strength nearly destroyed him. You nearly stopped his little human heart. You mustn't be so reckless with Midgardians. They are a very breakable species. Even more, their women."

Loki looked away again, staring blankly at the dried blood.

"Perhaps we shouldn't be. I have accidentally armed his enemy by leaving my spell books around carelessly, and I nearly killed him myself. It seems the Norns were right. I am destined for solitude… I mustn't care for others lest I hurt them, as I've done in the past."

Thor smiled a little at this, and rest his hand on Loki's shoulder. "Loki, despite all that strategic and logical thinking, and your fierce intelligence it seems you never learn this. Loki, you must stop denying your heart joy every time you begin to fear. That is the reason you've never been able to settle, dear Brother. You pulled away everytime you grew attached. You've guarded your heart so fiercely ever since Father told you the truth of your heritage. Guarded it so closely that you were never happy."

For the first time since he cast himself away from his former family he heard wisdom in Thor's words. Maybe he's finally become a fit king after all. Thor guffawed, and pat Loki on the back as the latter smiled a little. The 'pat' was so vigorous that it knocked Loki out of his chair. Loki glowered at Thor for a moment as he got up and sat back onto his chair.

Thor got up along-side Loki and laughed jovially. "Now, do tell me, brother, how you two came together." Thor went to the kitchen and returned within seconds with a cup of coffee in his hands before he sat down again.

His wicked trade-mark smile appeared on Loki's lips, and he began relaying his tale to Thor. Given the chance to shock Thor, Loki described the encounters in such vivid lewd detail that he would have made the most experienced prostitute blush with his stories.

"By Valhalla! Your mischief knows no bounds! Were I Stark, I'd never let you near me again after the imaginative ways you've found to defile his body!"

Loki grinned at that comment, and simply spoke, "You're not him, and that's something I'm very thankful for." Thor chuckled good-naturedly and waved him on, asking him to continue the tale, which Loki promptly did.

"By Odin's beard, this is by far worse than your affair with Svaolifari…"

"Oh no, Thor. This is much better. Admittedly, it is true that Svaolifari had some sizeable advantages of his own but it is also far more intellectually stimulating with Tony."

Thor snorted. "From what you tell me, you two do not do much together which is intellectual."

Loki grinned knowingly. "Well we do use our heads otherwise as well." He licked his lips lecherously.

Thor laughed, "Sometimes you're so lewd, brother! I've missed that!"

It is true, Loki thought to himself, it's been long since we've spoken so openly. But… some things will always stay broken.

Loki turned his head as he saw movement in the doorway. Natasha and Bruce had been eavesdropping the entire time. Natasha kept a poised expression, having her pokerface in place immediately, but Bruce… Bruce began shuffling uncomfortably, before fixing his glasses unnecessarily and entering the dining room.

"How is he?" Loki asked softly, knowing not to anger the doctor.

"Loki, you know I'm not a medical doctor… But, from what I've gathered, his heart rate has stabilized he's breathing, and his vitals have stabilized. Just let him rest, and then he'll be fine."

Loki knew the true words lurking under Banner's instructions: Leave him alone.

Sighing, Loki rose to go to his room, just as Agent Hill and Director Fury made an entrance, with Clint and Steve at their heels.

A/N: Thank you for putting up with me.  
Please drop a review. Angry reviews are welcome too.


	13. Chapter 13: Update

"Did anybody give the temporary witch-doctor permission to leave?" Fury growled as he tried to stare Loki down with his good eye, "No. You're staying here Laufeyson." Loki let an exasperated sigh leave his lips. Fury knew the situation now, so he also knew that Loki wished to see Tony, and that Fury held the reins on who could see Tony until his recuperation. "Everyone, come now," Fury barked, but Loki simply rolled his eyes and remained standing. He didn't even bother with an answer. He most certainly wouldn't be Fury's lapdog, but he would play along a little. For now.

"Avengers meeting in the board room. Now." Without pausing, the Director and his cronies continued straight for the aforementioned room . The rest of the team followed suit. Fury stopped again to appraise him with his eye. "You're not getting a special invitation. Get your skinny little alien ass into the meeting. I have a bone to pick with you."

Just like that Fury left, disappearing behind the door.

Loki teleported into the room out of sheer laziness and appeared right behind Fury. Before anyone had time to blink, he had three guns and an arrow pointing at his head.

Loki raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You told me to come, and I did."

Fury shot him a serious look before gesturing for everyone to put their weapons away.

"There exist mythical things called doors. Learn to use them." Fury pointed to the door and then stalked past Loki to the head of the table before taking a seat. Loki remained standing, leaning against the wall as he watched the little Midgardian meeting begin. "Now, where is our resident adventurer, Stark?"

No one answered. A long awkward pause ensued until Bruce of all people spoke up. "Director… Tony is currently ..ah… asleep. It would be best to let him sleep for now."

"He really needs to stop getting kidnapped. Fine, he can sleep through this one, but one of you better debrief him tomorrow, this is all his fault after all."

Loki laughed inwardly, _Challenge accepted._

"Of course, sir. I will debrief him," Captain Rogers offered.

"Good. Now all of you listen to me. The reason for this meeting is simple. I've been informed about the events of the past day, all of which involve Stark."

He paused briefly before his face contorted into a snarl and bellowed, "What the fuck is this shit?" Steve flinched at the diction, but said nothing.

"First, Stark has the gall to fraternise with the enemy," he shot Loki a contemptuous look, "and decided to come out of the closet. And as if that's not enough of a headline for the boulevard papers, he was kidnapped, and no one in this 'team' of superheroes even noticed his absence. Then there's the icing on the cake: our supervillain here was the one that saved the day, or at least his bedmate. And _now _our crazy witch who is trying to make it into the country's top ten of the most wanted list, is pregnant from our supervillain, with a kid that can heal her from the inside! What. The Fuck. Is. This. Shit?"

Before anyone else could react, Thor's head whipped around and zeroed in on Loki. "Is this true, Brother? Have you fathered another child?"

Loki shrugged, indifferently. "At least I'm not bearing another."

Immediately Thor's serious features spread into a full-blown grin, and he banged the table with his open palm. "This calls for celebration! Another child!"

Everyone else had mixed feelings. A mixture of disgust, disbelief, and incredulity were reflected in the faces of most of them. All but Clint. Clint was grinning.

"Someone's been sleeping around," he chirped.

A startled laugh escaped Loki as he realised for the first time how absurd the situation must seem in this narrow minded little world.

"Get your act together. This isn't the time for Viking celebrations. This Intel complicates everything far more than it already was," Fury hissed.

"Sir, does this mean we are forced into inaction for nine months due to human rights regulations?" Agent Hill enquired

"It means-"

"Come now, Director. It shan't take that long. The children of the Aesir and Jotnar grow quickly no matter the species of the offspring," Thor interjected jovially. This news was making him far too happy for Loki's liking.

"Species?" Bruce's head whipped up. "What do you mean? Offspring of all animals has to use the genetic coding of their parents. Despite the existence of mutations, there cannot be such radiacl mutations that the offspring of one species take on a completely different life-form-"

Thor laughed boisterously at that. "Genetics and science. You humans only have a limited view of the universe. Loki's magical gift is passed onto the children. Many possess the gift of shape-shifting and after conception some become permanent shape shifters whereas others lose their ability to shift in the womb itself, is it not so?"

Loki nodded, "Indeed none of my children are of the same species as the ones I begot them with, apart from the child of the stallion Svalifari… And even little Sleipnir has more legs than the average horse."

"So your kid might be a toad?" Clint asked in surprise.

"Anything is possible," the reply came curtly.

"Man, Tony's going to have quite an awakening tomorrow when we tell him-"

"When you tell me what?" Tony entered through the side entrance, wearing a new pair of jeans and a t-shirt, his hair visibly frazzled.

"How are you?" Steve asked, trying to change the subject, thinking Tony would be too unstable to handle all this information.

"Fit as a fiddle. Just a couple of bruises, but that's nothing new…" He sauntered in and flung himself onto a chair. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing Steve. So Clint… when you tell me what?"

"Erm… Nat, how about you take this one. You're more… diplomatic than me?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow at that remark before turning to Tony. "It seems our target is untouchable at the moment. She's pregnant and her demon spawn has healing powers."

Loki shot her a hateful glare at her choice in words, but Tony remained oblivious.

"Oh? Is that it? You know with two demi-gods around the house that kind of stuff doesn't really surprise me anymore." His lips twisted into a smile, "Wonder who the poor idiot was that knocked up that harpy. Must be a screwed up, masochistic asshole."

Instantly Fury's expression became one of sheer amusement. "I'm glad you put it that way. It's the same asshole you've been rutting away with in secret over the last couple of weeks." Fury's eye wandered to Loki.

Loki watched Tony intently, unwavering. He had to know Tony's response. The others didn't matter, but Tony did.

Tony's face took on a sickly pallor, even worse than he'd been earlier. His genius mind found it difficult to process for some inexplicable reason: Loki slept with the harpy and got her pregnant. Of course he got their enemy pregnant that was so very Loki. _Sleeping with the enemy. _

He gulped

"W-when was this?" he asked in a newly raspy voice. How the hell had this happened? The guy hadn't left the facility in over a month… Of course Tony was a well-reputed playboy and Loki was a super villain but… he actually thought Loki had been somewhat monogamous during their relationship, especially seeing as she was trying to gut the two of-

"-Before I moved in here," Loki interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh." Tony felt like hitting himself. Seriously, Loki wasn't stupid. He wasn't the kind of guy to sleep with someone who he knew was deranged _and _trying to kill him, while he was fucking Iron Man…

"Wait what? The kid's that powerful in just a month? What the hell? Are superpowers put in the cradle with you guys in Asgard? The kid's a month old and healing like a pro already? How fast is that thing growing?"

Loki grit his teeth together, "I'd prefer it if you didn't refer to my child as-"

"Too fast," Fury interrupted Loki, only to be glowered at. "And we don't know the fucking gestation period because we don't know the species of little Ziggy Stardust."

"Species… right," Tony gulped. He'd read up on Norse Mythology as he was trying to find information on how to avoid knocking up a deity. He knew about the… weird babies. "You know I probably should go to bed again…"

"You're not going anywhere, Stark. If you managed to drag your ass down here, you're going to keep it here. You've caused us more than enough trouble, and I'm not letting you go off and fuck up some more."

"Hey! I-"

"Actually, _director, _he will be leaving for bed, and he _will _be leaving with me."

"The HELL you are! We've got enough mutant-alien babies on the way, and I'm not having any more crazy-ass babies from the two of you," Fury commanded.

Loki sneered at the insults thrown at his babes and stepped toward Fury with an expression that clearly showed that he was contemplating whether to gut him with his bare hands and then use his innards as a new scarf, or whether to restrain himself for a change. The air was tense as every watched the two men.

"Loki…" Tony spoke softly, and caught hold of his arm in a restraining fashion. He turned to glare at Tony, but then relaxed a little, as he saw Tony's pained eyes.

Composing himself, he replied to Fury in a quiet but threatening voice, "It is _tough _for you that I'm not actually part of your team, and just here on a truce, so you can't tell me what to do. Do you understand that, grandmaster Fury? And if you even try to stop me, you too will take a dagger today, and I'm quite certain you're not gifted enough to heal yourself. Listen carefully: _I do what I want._" He spoke the last words with such venom that a chill ran down Tony's back. Loki caught hold of Tony's arm and led him towards the door, but just as he was just about to step out, Loki turned around and appraised, "And also… the only way we would conceive is if I were to turn into my femal form… and I feel _just _like doing that today." Smirking he continued out with Tony's arm in his grasp. _Imagine that,_ Loki thought smugly.

Once they were outside Tony stopped. Loki spun around questioningly, and saw Tony scrutinising him.

Tony's neck and face were both bruised in large areas of deep purple, and his lip was split open painfully. And though his eyes were heavily rimmed with exhaustion, the sight that hurt Loki the most was the sadness in Tony's gaze. Something lacklustre.

"Tony…" his hand reached up, trying to caress Tony's cheek, but Tony smacked it away immediately.

"Stop." He looked away unhappily, not being able to stand the sight of Loki. Still looking at the ground Tony spoke. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Loki was taken aback by the statement. He didn't answer, not sure what Tony wanted to hear.

"Why didn't you tell me about her?" he pressed again.

Loki tilts his head, with a calculating look in his eyes and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Well, Tony, if I were to tell about all the creatures I have copulated with you would have to sit around for a very long time. So long that you'd fall asleep. And she wasn't more significant than the others. None of them mattered. So why do you care?"

Tony turned red with anger. "What the hell Loki! She's our fucking enemy, and you-"

"In case you've forgotten, we're still enemies too in the long run, but that didn't keep you from bending over for me."

"That's not what I was going to say!"

"Then what?" Loki asked coolly, keeping a level head.

"You got her pregnant and you didn't tell me, that's what! Why the hell did you even take such pains to sleep with me, you ass? Did it have anything to do with me, or did you just need some rich and gullible idiot to raise your bloody bastard?"

Loki's head snapped up and stared daggers at Tony, as he stepped over the line. " Do not _ever_ speak like that of my child again or you will pay dearly, most probably with your favourite member of your insignificant little body." His threat was but a hiss, and his intention was clear. Green flames burnt destructively in his face, yearning to jump over to Tony and destroy him. "It may be true that your name and wealth makes you the target of golddiggers, but never _dare _to think that I am one of them. I can easily raise that child on my own without your dirty money. I've done it before."

Tony rolled his eyes arrogantly, and crossed his arms, "Great you can feed your baby and all that, but you still didn't tell me that you had a kid on the way, and from the way you're reacting to my comment, that's even a big deal in your screwed up alien-societies."

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know!" Loki bellowed, his chest was heaving with anger and vulnerability, in a tumbler of feelings.

Tony's jaw dropped at that. No matter what he'd expected it hadn't been that. But Tony was infamous for being able to make situations worse.

"Then how did you find out? It's not like she came up to you with a fucking sonogram and glued it to your forehead now, is it?"

Loki looked like he wanted to use his contemplations for what he'd considered doing to Fury, on his lover. He shoved the mortal against the wall, putting his hands on either side of his head against the wall. Leaning forward, his face was but inches from Tony's. "Bite your tongue, Stark. Making me angry won't magically cause her to lose the child, and I'd never allow her to lose a child of mine, do you understand?" His entire body language exuded danger. Pure danger. Taking his hand of the wall, he pressed it against Tony's neck. Quietly he revealed the truth: "I felt its heartbeat, you piece of scum. My magic reached into the room, while you were tied up, and I felt its heart racing. Racing just a little faster than your heart is racing now. The child is young, so young that there are hardly any traces of its existence. But it is there. It is my child. And no one will take it from me or speak ill of it."

Tony practically gasped for breath, and his hands dug into the wall. "Does- Does she know?"

A mirthless laugh escaped Loki as he cocked his eyebrow. "Whether she is oblivious of her pregnancy? Well, if she remains oblivious, then she is duller than I took her to be. Her spontaneous healing spouts should have given it away to her. But it doesn't matter. _I _know, and I won't allow anything to happen to my child," the warmth returned to his voice. "I will never let someone else hurt someone I love." Loki's hand gently returned to Tony's arc reactor. Tony jerked sideways in fear. Loki slowly moved his hand to Tony's shoulder, caressing it, massaging it. He leant forward and whispered into his ear. "I'm sorry, Tony. I didn't mean to scare you, or hurt you. I don't enjoy seeing you hurt, unless your pain is merely that off too much pleasure... But you must know that with the existence of this child I am bound to it forever. And that is to say, gladly. But… you never have to worry about my child. It won't be in your way." Loki kissed his cheek gently and pulled back a little.

Tony knew immediately that the mad tempest had blown away, but he couldn't help but marvel at how dysfunctional Loki's mind seemed to be. "You know I'd like nothing more than to be pissed off at you right now, but that'd make me a huge hypocrite. If she wasn't batty and if I'd met her before Pepper, I would've probably nailed her too… But I wouldn't have knocked her up," he added jokingly. He thanked god every day for having never knocked any girl up.

Relief was thick in Loki's voice as he replied, "I'm sure you would have tried, but your performance wouldn't be able to measure up to mine."

"Well I guess we'll never know. But I'm kind of iffy on whether you'd make a good single parent. You know with all the doom and gloom that defines you and everything." Tony laughed a little, trying to ease the tension a little more, and Loki responded favourably.

"I know I would be a much better parent than _you_ would be. I'm willing to wager that you couldn't even keep a potted plant alive for a week without the aid of your electronic equipment or personal assistant."

"Hey buddy, I couldn't keep _myself _alive without my electronics," he pat his chest to emphasise his point.

"I win my wager unopposed then?" Loki smirked.

"Sure, but I think I've a far more interesting bet for you…" Tony stood on his tip toes and stretched up as he tried to whisper into Loki's ear. "I bet I can make you scream at over 90 decibels."

Loki smirked as the gleam returned to his eyes. "I'm sure I can make you scream _my name _even louder than that…"

Tony pursed his lips for a moment and grinned, "No problem."

Glad that the fight had diffused, Loki leant down and kissed Tony. The soft pecks soon became deep and hungry, causing Tony to flinch as he turned his head slightly.

"Hmm…" Loki licked his lips. "Maybe you should wait until your wounds heal, otherwise the sound level might not /purely/ be my doing… and that's not satisfying, is it?"

Tony pouted as he looked up at Loki, "Can't you heal me or something? It would speed things up."

Loki chuckled softly, "You're so eager, little playboy, but I can't. I wasn't born a healer, and it takes me a great deal of energy to heal the smallest wounds and… I won't take any more energy from you." He tapped the arc reactor.

Tony stared at Loki for a couple moments, gauging his reaction, checking whether he'd really grown that scared by their experiment earlier. But it was clear as glass: Loki wouldn't budge. He sighed, "Fine… I'll have to stick to the joys of the lab…"

Loki smiled a little, "I'm afraid so. I mustn't engage you so much… It's not good for your healing… I shall leave."

"What? NO!" Tony exclaimed unexpectedly.

Loki chuckled and smiled knowingly. "Don't worry… I'll make up for it later." He wantonly slid his hand over Tony's crotch, and disappeared.

"Fuck, he really is crazy."


End file.
